In Search of Walt Whitman is a two-part documentary that explores the extraordinary life, legacy, and poetry of one of America’s most influential literary figures. Blending narration, dramatic readings, period music, expert commentary, and evocative imagery from key locations, the film brings to life the story of Walt Whitman and the turbulent times that shaped his work.

Part One: The Early Years (1819–1860) traces Whitman’s journey from a modest upbringing in Long Island and Brooklyn to the groundbreaking publication of Leaves of Grass in 1855—a bold, revolutionary collection that transformed American poetry. The episode delves into the mystery of how this self-taught writer produced a masterpiece that would redefine literature.

Part Two: The Civil War and Beyond (1861–1892) follows Whitman as he moves to Washington, D.C., to care for wounded Civil War soldiers, an experience that profoundly influences his poetry. The film also examines his disillusionment with postwar America, his later life in Camden, New Jersey, and the enduring power of poems like “When Lilacs Last in the Doory’d Bloomed,” “The Wound-Dresser,” and “O Captain! My Captain!”