Global Poetry Events Mark Allen Ginsberg's 100th Birthday

Literary events worldwide are celebrating the 100th birthday of Beat poet Allen Ginsberg, born June 3, 1926, in Paterson, New Jersey. Ginsberg, who died in 1997 at age 70, is remembered for his seminal poem "Howl" (1955), which was published by Lawrence Ferlinghetti's City Lights press and sold over 1 million copies of his books. His work, influenced by jazz, Buddhism, and his friendships with Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs, gave voice to a generation. NPR's Tom Vitale produced an appreciation featuring archival recordings of Ginsberg discussing his stream-of-consciousness technique and his masterpiece "Kaddish," written for his mother Naomi. Academy of American Poets Chancellor Cornelius Eady noted Ginsberg's foundational influence on Beat, political, jazz, and queer poets. Celebrations span from New York to global venues.