History of Lawrence Ferlinghetti in Timeline

Lawrence Ferlinghetti, a multifaceted American artist, left an indelible mark on the literary and cultural landscape. He was a poet, painter, social activist, and co-founder of City Lights Booksellers & Publishers. His renowned work, A Coney Island of the Mind, a collection of poems published in 1958, achieved remarkable success with translations in nine languages and over a million copies sold. Ferlinghetti's influence extended beyond his writing; he also created translations, fiction, theatre pieces, art criticism, and film narrations. In recognition of his significant contributions, the city of San Francisco proclaimed March 24, Ferlinghetti's 100th birthday, as "Lawrence Ferlinghetti Day."

March 24, 1919: Birth of Lawrence Ferlinghetti

Lawrence Ferlinghetti was born in Yonkers, New York on March 24, 1919.

1937: Graduation from Mount Hermon School

Ferlinghetti graduated from Mount Hermon School for Boys in 1937.

1941: Graduation from UNC Chapel Hill

Ferlinghetti graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.A. in journalism in 1941.

1946: Meeting Selden Kirby-Smith

Ferlinghetti met his future wife, Selden Kirby-Smith, while traveling to France in 1946.

1947: M.A. from Columbia University

Ferlinghetti received his M.A. in English literature from Columbia University in 1947.

1951: Move to San Francisco

Ferlinghetti moved to San Francisco in 1951.

1951: Meeting Kenneth Rexroth

Shortly after arriving in San Francisco in 1951, Ferlinghetti met poet Kenneth Rexroth.

1953: Founding of City Lights Bookstore

Ferlinghetti co-founded City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco in 1953.

1955: Establishment of City Lights Publishers

Ferlinghetti established City Lights Publishers in 1955.

1957: Trial over "Howl"

Ferlinghetti was arrested and acquitted in 1957 for publishing Allen Ginsberg's "Howl".

1958: Publication of "A Coney Island of the Mind"

In 1958, Ferlinghetti published his renowned collection of poems, "A Coney Island of the Mind".

1963: A Coney Island of the Mind Referenced in Hopscotch

In 1963, Julio Cortázar referenced a poem from Ferlinghetti's "A Coney Island of the Mind" in Chapter 121 of his novel "Rayuela" ("Hopscotch").

January 14, 1967: Presentation at the "Human Be-In"

Ferlinghetti presented at the "Human Be-In" gathering on January 14, 1967.

1968: War Tax Protest

In 1968, Ferlinghetti joined the "Writers and Editors War Tax Protest".

1973: Awarded Premio Taormina

Ferlinghetti was awarded the Premio Taormina in 1973.

1987: Jack Kerouac Alley Initiative

Ferlinghetti initiated the transformation of Jack Kerouac Alley in 1987.

1996: Painting Censorship Incident

Ferlinghetti's painting was censored in Sandusky, Ohio in 1996, to which he responded artistically.

August 1998: Appointment as San Francisco Poet Laureate

Ferlinghetti was named San Francisco's Poet Laureate in August 1998.

1998: Speech as San Francisco Poet Laureate

Ferlinghetti gave his inaugural address as San Francisco's Poet Laureate in 1998.

2003: Frost Medal and Author's Guild Award

Ferlinghetti received the Frost Medal and the Author's Guild Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003.

2005: National Book Foundation's Literarian Award

Ferlinghetti received the inaugural Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation in 2005.

2007: Commandeur, French Order of Arts and Letters

Ferlinghetti was named Commandeur of the French Order of Arts and Letters in 2007.

2008: John Ciardi Award for Lifetime Achievement in Poetry

Ferlinghetti received the John Ciardi Award for Lifetime Achievement in Poetry in 2008.

2010: "60 Years of Painting" Retrospective

A retrospective of Ferlinghetti's artwork, "60 Years of Painting", was held in Italy in 2010.

2010: Portrayal in "Howl"

Andrew Rogers portrayed Ferlinghetti in the 2010 film "Howl".

June 2011: Celebration of Italian Unification

In June 2011, Lawrence Ferlinghetti contributed two poems, "Song of the Third World War" and "Old Italians Dying," to the 150th anniversary celebration of Italian unification. These poems were inspired by the artists featured in the exhibition "Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Italy 150," held in Turin, Italy during May-June 2011.

2012: Declining the Janus Pannonius International Poetry Prize

Ferlinghetti declined the Janus Pannonius International Poetry Prize in 2012 due to political reasons.

2012: The Sea Within Us

In 2012, Ferlinghetti collaborated with lithographer and abstract artist James Claussen on the book of lithographs titled "The Sea Within Us" (originally published in Italy as "Il Mare Dentro").