"Beatitude" #32 publication records, 1980-1982

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Summary

Creators:
May, Nathan, Blue, Janice, 1942-, Cherkovski, Neeli, Collins, Louis, Corso, Gregory, Doyle, Kirby, Gach, Gary, Harris, Latif, 1940-, Hart, Howard, 1927-, Hirschman, Jack, Iverson, Roderick, Kaufman, Bob, Koch, Michael, Landry, Paul, 1937-1993, Legoff, Christine, Maher, William Cody, McDonough, Kaye, 1943-, Micheline, Jack, 1929-1998, Mueller, Jack, Nicosia, Gerry, Plumb, David, 1940-, Polak, Bill, Rogers, Bob, Sauer, Ronald, 1963-, Walden, Tisa, and Williamson, Bear
Abstract:
The "Beatitude" #32 publication records, 1980-1982, consists of typescripts, drawings, notes, and mockups for issue number 32 of "Beatitude", the San Francisco magazine of beat poetry. Drafts of poems by Janice Blue, Neeli Cherkovski, Louis Collins, Gregory Corso, Kirby Doyle, Gary Gach, Latif Harris, Howard Hart, Jack Hirschman, Roderick Iverson, Bob Kaufman, Michael Koch, Paul Landry, Christine Legoff, William Maher, Kaye McDonough, Jack Micheline, Jack Mueller, Gerry Nicosia, David Plumb, Bill Polak, Bob Rogers, Ronald Sauer, Tisa Walden, Bear Williamson, and 4 unidentified poems (not included in the issue) are included, many of them signed by the poet, with notes to the publisher, and/or with annotations by the poet. Also included are mock ups and printer's masking sheets, and a flyer for a benefit for the issue. "Beatitude" was a weekly magazine of poetry founded by Bob Kaufman, John Kelley, William Margolis, and Alan Ginsberg in San Francisco in 1959. The founders envisioned the magazine as a voice for new and unknown (as opposed to established) poets of the time, and it was successful in launching the careers of many young aspiring poets. Designed with simple formats, using mimeographed sheets stapled together with a front cover printed on construction paper, they sold for 20 or 30 cents per issue. The first 8 were published weekly at 14 Bannam Alley; the remainder were published monthly at the Bread and Wine Mission, 510 Greenwich Street.
Extent:
1.79 Linear Feet 1 box
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Box/folder no. or item name], "Beatitude" #32 publication records, Collection no. 6147, Special Collections, USC Libraries, University of Southern California

Background

Scope and content:

The "Beatitude" #32 publication records, 1980-1982, consists of typescripts, drawings, notes, and mockups for issue number 32 of "Beatitude", the San Francisco magazine of beat poetry. Drafts of poems by Janice Blue, Neeli Cherkovski, Louis Collins, Gregory Corso, Kirby Doyle, Gary Gach, Latif Harris, Howard Hart, Jack Hirschman, Roderick Iverson, Bob Kaufman, Michael Koch, Paul Landry, Christine Legoff, William Maher, Kaye McDonough, Jack Micheline, Jack Mueller, Gerry Nicosia, David Plumb, Bill Polak, Bob Rogers, Ronald Sauer, Tisa Walden, Bear Williamson, and 4 unidentified poems (not included in the issue) are included, many of them signed by the poet, with notes to the publisher, and/or with annotations by the poet. Also included are mock ups and printer's masking sheets, and a flyer for a benefit for the issue.

Biographical / historical:

"Beatitude" was a weekly magazine of poetry founded by Bob Kaufman, John Kelley, William Margolis, and Alan Ginsberg in San Francisco in 1959. The founders envisioned the magazine as a voice for new and unknown (as opposed to established) poets of the time, and it was successful in launching the careers of many young aspiring poets. Designed with simple formats, using mimeographed sheets stapled together with a front cover printed on construction paper, they sold for 20 or 30 cents per issue. The first 8 were published weekly at 14 Bannam Alley; the remainder were published monthly at the Bread and Wine Mission, 510 Greenwich Street. From Beatitude #1: "A weekly miscellany of poetry and other jazz designed to extol beauty and promote the beatific or poetic life among the various mendicants, neo existentialists, christs, poets, painters, musicians, and other inhabitants and observers of North Beach, San Francisco, California, United States of America."

Bob Kaufman, the primary inspiration behind Beatitude, was a jazz-inspired street poet working in an oral tradition. He rarely wrote his poetry down, instead choosing to recite his work in coffee houses and on the streets of San Francisco. The first publication of his work was done through Lawrence Ferlinghetti's City Lights Bookstore. Kaufman is generally credited with coining the term "beatnik",and his poetry made heavy use of jazz syncopation and meter; in fact he was often referred to as "The Original Bebop Man".

"Beatitude"#32 was edited and published by Nathan May. Included in the issue were poems by Janice Blue, Neeli Cherkovski, Louis Collins, Gregory Corso, Kirby Doyle, Gary Gach, Latif Harris, Howard Hart, Jack Hirschman, Roderick Iverson, Bob Kaufman, Michael Koch, Paul Landry, Christine LeGoff, William Maher, Kaye McDonough, Jack Michelijne, Jack Mueller, Gerry Nicosia, David Plumb, Bill Polak, Bob Rogers, Ronald Sauer, Tisa Walden, and Bear Williamson. Some of the contributors were also represented by drawings.

[Sources: www.beatitudepoetry.com; The Poetry Foundation, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/bob-kaufman]

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Describing Archives: A Content Standard

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Restrictions:

COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. Advance notice required for access.

Terms of access:

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Manuscripts Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Preferred citation:

[Box/folder no. or item name], "Beatitude" #32 publication records, Collection no. 6147, Special Collections, USC Libraries, University of Southern California

Location of this collection:
Special Collections
Doheny Memorial Library, Room 209
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0189, US
Contact:
(213) 740-5900
specol@usc.edu
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