William Stanley Braithwaite: Arlington

“Art alone has kept her covenant with democracy.”

Acclaimed poet and anthologist William Stanley Braithwaite was born in Boston in 1878, to parents of mixed racial heritage. After the death of his family, William found employment in a publishing house, which began his life’s work.

Braithwaite became a writer himself, publishing in newspapers and other periodicals before self-publishing his first book in 1904, titled Lyrics of Life and Love. His second book, House of Falling Leaves, was published in 1908. During his lifetime, Braithwaite was recognized for his work by the NAACP and several colleges. Today, he is known as a poet and a revered anthologist. His former Arlington residence is a private rental home.