Carl Sandburg: Poet, Politician and Prophet – BMW of Elmhurst Dealer

In honor of National Poetry Month, the Elmhurst History Museum presents an online talk entitled Carl Sandburg: Poet, Politician and Prophet. Join Sandburg scholar Lawrence Webb as he examines the poet and former Elmhurst resident’s impact on American culture in the 20th century. This free YouTube presentation will be available starting April 7 and can be viewed through May 6. At BMW of Elmhurst, we’re grateful for the many exhibits and presentations provided by the Elmhurst History Museum.

Carl Sandburg was born in 1878. He was a poet, journalist, biographer and editor. Sandburg won three Pulitzer Prizes during his lifetime, including one for “Abraham Lincoln: The Prairie Years,” a two-volume biography. Sandburg lived at 331 South York Street in Elmhurst from 1919 to 1930, where he wrote poetry collections, including “Chicago Poems,” “Cornhuskers,” and “Smoke and Steel.” Sandburg also wrote three children’s books during his time in Elmhurst.

Sandburg was a supporter of the Civil Rights Movement. He was the first white man to receive the NAACP’s Silver Plaque Award. President Lyndon Johnson eulogized him after his death in 1967, saying: “Carl Sandburg was more than the voice of America, more than the poet of its strength and genius. He was America.”

Lawrence Webb is a Sandburg scholar and author of nine books, including the recently published “Carl Sandburg: Poet, Politician and Prophet.” Webb’s other works include “Christmas Memories from Seven to Seventy,” “Hardin-Simmons, Hail to Thee,” “Life Lessons in Stories, Songs, Poems, and Plays,” “Once for a Shining Hour,” “Reflections for Christmas,” “Revelation, a Book of Hope,” and “Songs That Sing to Me.” Webb has a Master of Mass Communication degree from the University of South Carolina-Columbia.\

Date and Time:
April 7 through May 6, 2022

Location:
Carl Sandburg: Poet, Politician and Prophet is an online presentation. Visit https://elmhursthistory.org/320/Programs starting April 7 for a link to the event.

Admission:
Free.

For More Information:
Call the Elmhurst History Museum at 630-833-1457.