Professor Karen Karbiener, a scholar of nineteenth-century American literature at New York University, recently gave a talk at the Bolton Socialist Club—the former home of Lord Lever and a historic hub of radical thought. She celebrated Walt Whitman as America’s poet and a powerful voice for 19th-century democratic ideals. His vision extended beyond the United States, offering a hopeful and universal message of freedom and equality.
Yet beneath the stirring beauty of his words lies a troubling truth: Whitman’s democratic vision was selective. His prejudices, particularly toward Black Americans, complicate our admiration and demand a more cautious approach.