In this video from American Masters: The Day Carl Sandburg Died, students learn about Carl Sandburg and his early days as a “poet of the people.” As a young man, Sandburg worked as an organizer for the Social-Democratic Party of Wisconsin. This work helped to fuel his poetry, which led him to focus on issues relevant to working people and the poor.

Note:In this video, the poems Masses and Mill-Doors are highlighted. Print the documents below for your students to reference as they watch the video.