Allen Ginsberg

Allen Ginsberg (1926–1997) was an American poet and a central figure of the Beat Generation, whose 1956 poem Howl became a landmark of postwar literature and a touchstone for countercultural movements. Its publication led to an obscenity trial that became a key moment in debates over literary freedom in the United States.

Beyond poetry, Ginsberg was an outspoken activist for free speech, drug policy reform, and gay rights, and a tireless collaborator — performing with musicians from Bob Dylan to The Clash, chanting mantras at protests, and mentoring younger writers. His open verse and public persona made him one of the most recognizable literary figures of the twentieth century.