Carl Sandburg

Born to poor Swedish immigrants in Galesburg, IL, in 1878, Carl August Sandburg would grow up to become the premier poet of the Midwest and a champion of the American folksong. He left school at 13 to become a day laborer and later served in the Spanish-American War. After returning to Galesburg, he continued his education at Lombard College and by 1902 received his first newspaper position in Milwaukee. In 1908 he married Lilian Steichen, sister of photographer Edward Steichen, whom he would remain with for the rest of his life. He worked for a short time as a secretary to So...