Walt Whitman (1819-1892) is regarded as one of America's most important nineteenth-century poets. Born in Long Island, Whitman grew up in Brooklyn and received a limited formal education. He adopted many professions in his lifetime including printer, essayist, journalist and school teacher. As early as 1850, Whitman turned his hand to poetry and in 1855 he self-published his greatest work,Leaves of Grass.