Learn about Walt Whitman, the poet of democracy who helped to chronicle 19th-century America and change American culture with his book of poems Leaves of Grass, in this video from First Person: Classroom. Using video, discussion questions, teaching tips, primary source documents, and an activity, students learn about Whitman’s impact, examine his role during the Civil War, and think critically about his contradictory views on enslavement, the rights of African Americans, women’s rights, and American Indians. Students explore whether Whitman was a racist or a progressive thinker for his time and consider his relevance today, given his views.