Description
Lewis MacAdams is a Los Angeles-based
poet, journalist, and filmmaker, and has authored over 20 books of poems and stories.
Collection materials include MacAdams' monographs; environmental and cultural journalism;
film projects; correspondence with poets and artists; files related to the Friends of the
Los Angeles River (FoLAR); performance materials from the San Francisco and Los Angeles
poetry and arts scenes; publications from MacAdams' library, and personal memorabilia, as
well as countless drafts and poetry fragments. MacAdams' work embraces performance art and
political activism on behalf of local and national causes, and includes files related to the
founding of FoLAR. His writings about the river, politics, culture, and crime have been
published in
Rolling Stone, the Los Angeles Times, and the
L.A. Weekly.
Background
Lewis MacAdams is a poet, journalist, and filmmaker whose work embraces performance art and
political activism. Born October 12, 1944 and raised in Dallas, Texas, MacAdams earned a
B.A. in English from Princeton in 1966 and a Master's degree from State University of New
York, Buffalo in 1968. He participated in the poetry and performance scenes in Bolinas and
San Francisco and was director of the Poetry Center at San Francisco State University from
1975-1978. After moving to Los Angeles, MacAdams concentrated on poetry and journalism as
well as film and television projects, including a collaboration with EZTV founder John Dorr
and the Lannan Foundation on a video series that featured readings by poets. He also wrote
and performed with avant-garde artists like The Dark Bob and others in the Los Angeles
performance scene. MacAdams founded Friends of the Los Angeles River (FOLAR) in 1986, which
he describes as a "40-year art work" that aims to harness creative energies which engage
politics, magic, and imagination "to bring the Los Angeles River, one of the most degraded
rivers on earth, back to life." MacAdams has been married twice and has four children.
Extent
53.2 Linear Feet
(121 boxes, 5 half boxes, 2 flat boxes, 2 flat boxes oversize, 1
telescoping box)
Restrictions
Property rights to the physical objects belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. All
other rights, including copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the
responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the
copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not
hold the copyright.
Availability
Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in
advance using the request button located on this page.