In which year was the first edition of Walt Whitman's 'Leaves of Grass' published? It was published in 1855. Whitman self-published the first edition in Brooklyn on July 4, presenting a new kind of American poetry built around expansive lines, democratic themes, and free verse.
The first edition contained only 12 untitled poems and did not name Whitman on its title page. Instead, it featured a striking engraved portrait of the poet in work clothes and a hat. Whitman helped set the type and paid for the printing, making the book a highly personal experiment rather than a conventional commercial publication.
Its origins are connected to Ralph Waldo Emerson's 1844 essay “The Poet,” which called for an original American voice. Whitman sent Emerson a copy, and Emerson's enthusiastic response helped draw attention to the unusual volume. The second edition, published in 1856, was much longer and printed Emerson's praise on its cover without permission.
Whitman continued revising Leaves of Grass throughout his life. Later editions expanded dramatically, so the 1855 version is especially important as the compact beginning of a work that eventually became his defining poetic project.