[Walt Whitman, head-and-shoulders portrait, facing right]

"I CELEBRATE myself And what I assume you shall assume For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you I loafe and invite my soul I lean and loafe at my ease....observing a spear of summer grass." With these lines, an unknown poet, Walt Whitman introduced himself. In 1855, at his own expense, he published a book called Leaves of Grass. Of the 795 copies printed, almost none were sold. But in time, this small book, just 95 pages long, would alter the course of world literature. Walter Whitman was born on May 31, 1819, in West Hills, Town of Huntington, Long Island, to parents close to Quaker. As the American Civil War was beginning, Whitman published his poem "Beat! Beat! Drums!" as a patriotic rally call for the North. During next 20 years, with more works published, his popularity grew in America and Britain. Whitman's work breaks the boundaries of poetic form; he used unconventional images and symbols in his poetry, including rotting leaves, tufts of straw, and debris. He openly wrote about death and sexuality, including prostitution. ​ After suffering a paralytic stroke in early 1873, Whitman moved to the home of his brother in Camden, New Jersey. Whitman died on March 26, 1892. A public viewing of his body was held at his Camden home where over one thousand people visited in three hours. Whitman's oak coffin was barely visible because of all the flowers and wreaths left for him. "America's poet... He is America." /Ezra Pound/

Napoleon Sarony (1821-1896) was a Canadian-American lithographer and photographer known for his portraits of famous people, including politicians, actors and other celebrities. Born in Quebec, Canada, he moved to New York City in the 1840s to pursue a career in lithography. He later switched to photography and opened his own studio in 1866. Sarony's portraits were noted for their theatricality and elaborate costumes, and he became one of the most sought-after photographers of his time. His most famous subjects included Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain and Buffalo Bill Cody. Sarony's legacy continues today, with many of his photographs considered iconic representations of their subjects.