On this day, January 14, 1967, the Human Be-In took place at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Last edited Mon Mar 31, 2025, 05:35 AM - Edit history (2)

Human Be-In


Poster advertising the 'Human Be-In', designed by Stanley Mouse (artist) and
Michael Bowen (concept), using the photograph of artist Casey Sonnabend

Date: January 14, 1967
Location: San Francisco, United States
Participants: Possibly 20,000–30,000 people
Outcome: Inspiration for the Summer of Love

The Human Be-In was an event held in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park Polo Fields on January 14, 1967. It was a prelude to San Francisco's Summer of Love, which made the Haight-Ashbury district a symbol of American counterculture and introduced the word "psychedelic" to suburbia.

{snip}

Event

The Human Be-In was announced on the cover of the fifth issue of the San Francisco Oracle as "A Gathering of the Tribes for a Human Be-In". The occasion was a new California law banning the use of the psychedelic drug LSD that had come into effect on October 6, 1966. The speakers at the rally were all invited by Bowen, the main organizer. They included Timothy Leary in his first San Francisco appearance, who set the tone that afternoon with his famous phrase "Turn on, tune in, drop out" and Richard Alpert ( soon to be known as "Ram Dass" ), and poets like Allen Ginsberg, who chanted mantras, Gary Snyder and Michael McClure. Other counterculture gurus included comedian Dick Gregory, Lenore Kandel, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Jerry Rubin, and Alan Watts. Music was provided by a host of local rock bands including Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and Blue Cheer, most of whom had been staples of the Fillmore and the Avalon Ballroom.  "Underground chemist" Owsley Stanley provided massive amounts of his "White Lightning" LSD, specially produced for the event, as well as 75 twenty-pound (9 kg) turkeys, for free distribution by the Diggers.

The national media were stunned, publicity about this event leading to the mass movement of young people from all over America to descend on the Haight-Ashbury area. Reports were unable to agree whether 20,000 or 30,000 people showed up at the Be-In.  Soon every gathering was an "-In" of some kind: Just four weeks later was Bob Fass's Human Fly-In, then the Love-In (March 26, 1967 at Elysian Park, Los Angeles), the Emmett Grogan inspired Sweep-In, Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In comedy television show began airing over NBC just a year later on January 22, 1968. This was followed by the first "Yip-In" (March 21, 1968, at Grand Central Terminal), another "Love-In" (April 14, 1968, at Malibu Canyon) and, John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "Bed-In" (March 25, 1969, in Amsterdam).

{snip}

Mon Mar 31, 2025: Herb Greene, 82, Dies; His Photographs Captured the San Francisco Sound

Sat Jan 20, 2024: On January 14, 1967, the Human Be-In took place at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.

Hat tip, Dennis Donovan

Mon Jan 14, 2019: 52 Years Ago Today; The Human Be-In takes place in San Francisco

[marble falls]

1. beatnics and politics ...

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[2naSalit]

2. I remember that...

I was far too young to go but I remember hearing about it and seeing news reports on the teevee.

[marble falls]

3. Got my first poems confiscated by the Akron Police in '67 because they were about "drugs" ...

... I hadn't had any, yet. I did look forward to smoking pot some day, because in the anti-drug movies shown in health class, pot smokers always looked like they were having fun.

[2naSalit]

4. I know, right?

I could see that it was more fun than drinking, I already had access to alcohol and I was impressed. I wanted to feel good not drink to pass out which seemed to be what the neighborhood kids were into.

I'm so glad it's legal in many states now, I thank my lucky stars every time I go to the pot store. IIt feels so liberating.