<strong>A celebration of counterculture.</strong> As poet and artist Lawrence Ferlinghetti turns 100 on March 24, 2019, the San Francisco bookstore and publishing house that he co-founded in the 1950s is celebrating his life and work. Click through the gallery for more photos of the Beat poets and where they worked and played:
A celebration of counterculture. As poet and artist Lawrence Ferlinghetti turns 100 on March 24, 2019, the San Francisco bookstore and publishing house that he co-founded in the 1950s is celebrating his life and work. Click through the gallery for more photos of the Beat poets and where they worked and played:
Mauro Aprile Zanetti
<strong>A moment to "Howl." </strong>Ferlinghetti and poet Allen Ginsberg (shown here reading his work in New York's Washington Square Park) met after Ferlinghetti heard Ginsberg read his poem, "Howl," in San Francisco and decided to publish it. The obscenity trial that followed made them, and the Beat Generation, famous.
A moment to "Howl." Ferlinghetti and poet Allen Ginsberg (shown here reading his work in New York's Washington Square Park) met after Ferlinghetti heard Ginsberg read his poem, "Howl," in San Francisco and decided to publish it. The obscenity trial that followed made them, and the Beat Generation, famous.
Dan Farrell/NY Daily News Archive/Getty Images
<strong>Home to the beats.</strong> Ferlinghetti, left, made City Lights and the surrounding North Beach neighborhood a gathering place for the Beat writers, poets and artists. He's shown here with Allen Ginsberg, center, and Stella Kerouac (Beat writer Jack Kerouac's widow), right, in a 1988 photo.
Home to the beats. Ferlinghetti, left, made City Lights and the surrounding North Beach neighborhood a gathering place for the Beat writers, poets and artists. He's shown here with Allen Ginsberg, center, and Stella Kerouac (Beat writer Jack Kerouac's widow), right, in a 1988 photo.
Jon Chase/AP
<strong>Working for a literary city. </strong>San Francisco will declare March 24, 2019, Lawrence Ferlinghetti Day for all he's done for his beloved city. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors accepted several of his recommendations to change local street names after some of San Francisco's best known artists and writers. Ferlinghetti is shown here in 1988.
Working for a literary city. San Francisco will declare March 24, 2019, Lawrence Ferlinghetti Day for all he's done for his beloved city. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors accepted several of his recommendations to change local street names after some of San Francisco's best known artists and writers. Ferlinghetti is shown here in 1988.
Associated Press
<strong>A quiet celebration</strong>. Ferlinghetti won't celebrate his birthday publicly but appreciates good wishes, as posted on the City Lights website. "I'm happy to hear that there are so many people celebrating my birthday. Makes it really special. I figure that with another 100 birthdays that'll be about enough!"
A quiet celebration. Ferlinghetti won't celebrate his birthday publicly but appreciates good wishes, as posted on the City Lights website. "I'm happy to hear that there are so many people celebrating my birthday. Makes it really special. I figure that with another 100 birthdays that'll be about enough!"
Mauro Aprile Zanetti
<strong>Collage Museum of San Francisco.</strong> It's not always easy to find punk art surrealist Mitchel Smith's space, which he also calls Grant's Tomb Gallery, open. Check his website for show openings (he dressed up for the show shown here) and to contact the artist, who designed many album covers for the Dead Kennedys and others.
Collage Museum of San Francisco. It's not always easy to find punk art surrealist Mitchel Smith's space, which he also calls Grant's Tomb Gallery, open. Check his website for show openings (he dressed up for the show shown here) and to contact the artist, who designed many album covers for the Dead Kennedys and others.
Courtesy Matthew Kadi
<strong>The artist at work. </strong>Winston Smith is currently working on a project for Punk Rock Bowling, shown here.
The artist at work. Winston Smith is currently working on a project for Punk Rock Bowling, shown here.
Courtesy Matthew Kadi
<strong>Moe's Books. </strong>Moe's Books was founded in 1959 by Moe and Barbara Moskowitz, who supported free speech movement at the nearby University of California at Berkeley on Telegraph Avenue. It has hosted Ferlinghetti in the past, and its current schedule of events is packed with poetry readings.
Moe's Books. Moe's Books was founded in 1959 by Moe and Barbara Moskowitz, who supported free speech movement at the nearby University of California at Berkeley on Telegraph Avenue. It has hosted Ferlinghetti in the past, and its current schedule of events is packed with poetry readings.
Courtesy Moe's Books
<strong>Vesuvio Café. </strong>This is really a salon -- or a saloon -- of the Beat Generation, whose opening predates neighbor City Lights by five years. The perfect location for folks to drink, listen to jazz and read poetry, Vesuvio is where Jack Kerouac reportedly continued to drink rather than leaving town to meet Henry Miller one night in 1960.
Vesuvio Café. This is really a salon -- or a saloon -- of the Beat Generation, whose opening predates neighbor City Lights by five years. The perfect location for folks to drink, listen to jazz and read poetry, Vesuvio is where Jack Kerouac reportedly continued to drink rather than leaving town to meet Henry Miller one night in 1960.
Luis Villa Del Campo
<strong>The Beats move into a fancy hotel.</strong> City Lights curated a collection of books for the new Hotel Emblem, which includes design elements from the Beat Generation.
The Beats move into a fancy hotel. City Lights curated a collection of books for the new Hotel Emblem, which includes design elements from the Beat Generation.
Albert Law
<strong>Staying someplace else?</strong> Day trippers can enjoy the poetry slams at the hotel's Obscenity Bar & Lounge and the hotel's guide to exploring the Beat Generation, with a <a href="https://www.viceroyhotelsandresorts.com/en/emblem/activities/concierge/beat_tour" target="_blank" target="_blank">free map for a self-guided tour.</a><br />
Staying someplace else? Day trippers can enjoy the poetry slams at the hotel's Obscenity Bar & Lounge and the hotel's guide to exploring the Beat Generation, with a free map for a self-guided tour.
Christian Horan