The Walt Whitman house was celebrated today at a ceremony honoring it as a Literary Landmark.  The ceremony was held in the Campus Center at Rutgers Camden.  It was a true celebration of Whitman’s legacy.

Below are some photos of the event.

Senator James Beach

Assemblyman Joe Roberts

Mr. Roberts was responsible for securing the $2 million investment in restoring and expanding the Walt Whitman house in Camden.  He called Whitman “someone who has been underappreciated in his own backyard” and said that this dedication “is long overdue.”

RU-Camden Chancellor Wendell Pritchett

Dr. Pritchett remarked that Whitman’s values overlap with the values of Rutgers scholars: “scholarship, teaching, and civic engagement.”

Camden City Mayor Gwendolyn Faison

Mayor Faison called it “an exceptional day to do something really really good.” 

Dr. Howard Gillette, RU-Camden

Dr. Gillette presented an essay on Whitman and Camden, stating that “no figure can be more appropriate to a city under siege.”  He discussed Whitman’s arrival in Camden and his death and funeral procession.  Dr. Gillette mentioned how people assumed Camden would become “America’s Stratford” and that Whitman’s pressence made it “gorgeous.”  Although this hasn’t exactly turned out to be the case, he explained that the house “is central to facing Camden’s adversity.”

Keynote Speaker Renee Becker Swartz

Renee Becker Swartz is the Chair and Coordinator for the New Jersey Center for the Book, the organization responsible for the dedication.  She proclaimed that this event places Camden on the map as a “major destination on the literary highway.”  She also discussed Whitman in terms of his connection to the America people, stating that “his was a celebration of the eloquence of the common man,…his became the voice of the American people.”

Creative Arts High School Jazz Ensemble

The Creative Arts High School students performed at the end of the ceremony.  Other students from local schools were celebrated for their artwork and poetry.

Prize-winning Portrait by a Local High School Student