Origins & Early Life

Carl August Sandburg (January 6, 1878 – July 22, 1967) was an American poet, biographer, journalist, and editor. He won three Pulitzer Prizes: two for his poetry and one for his biography of Abraham Lincoln. During his lifetime Sandburg was widely regarded as "a major figure in contemporary literature", especially for volumes of his collected verse, including Chicago Poems (1916), Cornhuskers (1918), and Smoke and Steel (1920). He enjoyed "unrivaled appeal as a poet in his day, perhaps because the breadth of his experiences connected him with so many strands of American life".

Pivotal Works & Achievements

When he died in 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson observed that "Carl Sandburg was more than the voice of America, more than the poet of its strength and genius. He was America." Carl Sandburg was born in a three-room cottage at 313 East Third Street in Galesburg, Illinois, to Clara Mathilda (née Anderson) and August Sandberg, both of Swedish ancestry. He adopted the nickname "Charles" or “Charlie” in elementary school and, along with his two oldest siblings, changed the spelling of the family name to "Sandburg". At the age of thirteen Sandburg left school and began driving a milk wagon.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Between approximately...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Ahn Chang Ho — Contemporary (Born in 1878) (1878): Pioneering Korean independence activist and leader of the Korean-American community.
• Benjamin Bonneville — Contemporary (Died in 1878) (1878): American explorer and U.S. Army officer famed for Western expeditions.
• Bill Robinson — Contemporary (Born in 1878) (1878): Pioneering tap dancer and entertainer whose career spanned American popular culture.
• Akshay Kumar — Contemporary (Born in 1967) (1967): Veteran Indian actor and producer, celebrated for action roles and prolific career.
• Albert Luthuli — Contemporary (Died in 1967) (1967): Pioneering anti-apartheid activist and leader of the ANC in South Africa.
• Aleksandr Karelin — Contemporary (Born in 1967) (1967): Dominant Greco-Roman wrestler, nicknamed the "Russian Bear", celebrated for unmatched Olympic success.
• A. R. Rahman — Shared historical date (01-06 · Born) (1966): Visionary Indian composer celebrated for blending global sounds with cinematic emotion.
• Alan Watts — Shared historical date (01-06 · Born) (1915): Philosopher and lecturer popularizing Eastern thought for the West.
• Alan Menken — Shared historical date (07-22 · Born) (1949): Award-winning American composer celebrated for Disney film scores and Broadway musicals.
• Albert Brooks — Shared historical date (07-22 · Born) (1947): Versatile American actor, comedian, director, and screenwriter.
• 1878 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1878
• January 6 (01-06) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on January 6
• 1967 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1967
• July 22 (07-22) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on July 22