Finding aid for the "Beatitude" #32 publication records 6147
Sue Luftschein
USC Libraries Special Collections
2017 November
Doheny Memorial Library 206
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, California 90089-0189
specol@usc.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Special Collections
Title: "Beatitude" #32 publication records
creator:
May, Nathan
creator:
Blue, Janice, 1942-
creator:
Cherkovski, Neeli
creator:
Collins, Louis
creator:
Corso, Gregory
creator:
Doyle, Kirby
creator:
Gach, Gary
creator:
Harris, Latif, 1940-
creator:
Hart, Howard, 1927-
creator:
Hirschman, Jack
creator:
Iverson, Roderick
creator:
Kaufman, Bob
creator:
Koch, Michael
creator:
Landry, Paul, 1937-1993
creator:
Legoff, Christine
creator:
Maher, William Cody
creator:
McDonough, Kaye, 1943-
creator:
Micheline, Jack, 1929-1998
creator:
Mueller, Jack
creator:
Nicosia, Gerry
creator:
Plumb, David, 1940-
creator:
Polak, Bill
creator:
Rogers, Bob
creator:
Sauer, Ronald, 1963-
creator:
Walden, Tisa
creator:
Williamson, Bear
Identifier/Call Number: 6147
Physical Description:
1.79 Linear Feet
1 box
Date (inclusive): 1980-1982
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.
Container: 1
"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]
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.
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. Advance notice required for 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.
[Box/folder no. or item name], "Beatitude" #32 publication records, Collection no. 6147, Special Collections, USC Libraries,
University of Southern California
Jack Hirschman papers, Collection no. 0158, Special Collections, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
Subjects and Indexing Terms
American poetry -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Poets, American -- 20th century -- Archival resources
San Francisco (Calif.) -- History -- Archival resources
Notes
Printers' proofs
Typescripts
May, Nathan -- Archives
Blue, Janice, 1942- -- Archives
Cherkovski, Neeli -- Archives
Collins, Louis -- Archives
Corso, Gregory -- Archives
Doyle, Kirby -- Archives
Gach, Gary -- Archives
Harris, Latif, 1940- -- Archives
Hart, Howard, 1927- -- Archives
Hirschman, Jack -- Archives
Iverson, Roderick -- Archives
Kaufman, Bob -- Archives
Koch, Michael -- Archives
Landry, Paul, 1937-1993 -- Archives
Legoff, Christine -- Archives
Maher, William Cody -- Archives
McDonough, Kaye, 1943- -- Archives
Micheline, Jack, 1929-1998 -- Archives
Mueller, Jack -- Archives
Nicosia, Gerry -- Archives
Plumb, David, 1940- -- Archives
Polak, Bill -- Archives
Rogers, Bob -- Archives
Sauer, Ronald, 1963- -- Archives
Walden, Tisa -- Archives
Williamson, Bear -- Archives