Today is Walt Whitman’s 200th birthday . This offers an important opportunity to reassess his tremendous contributions to American life and literature at a time when our country is so polarized. The University of Pennsylvania Libraries and the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage have organized a region-wide series of cultural events to celebrate Whitman and underscore his continued relevance in American culture.

 Whitman spent the last two decades of his life in Camden, New Jersey. He frequently traveled by ferry to Philadelphia to visit with friends and enjoy the city’s cultural life. The Whitman at 200  project situates Whitman in Philadelphia and its neighborhoods, connecting him to the life and art of the city and exploring what Philadelphia and Camden were then and are now.

You can get more information about the dozens of special events that are being held throughout the anniversary year at this dedicated website.