Tassajara Stories 1

Berkeley Poetry Conference of 1965 (“UC Berkeley Poetry Conference 1965”):

What Was It

• The Berkeley Poetry Conference was an event held at UC Berkeley from July 12-24, 1965. 

• It featured seminars, lectures, individual readings, and group readings. 

• It was organized through the UC Berkeley Extension Programs. 

Who Organized It / Who Participated

• Organizers / Advisory Committee included:

  • Thomas Parkinson (Professor of English, UC Berkeley) 

  • Donald M. Allen (West Coast Editor of Grove Press) 

  • Robert Duncan (poet) 

  • Richard Baker (Program Coordinator) 

• Notable Poets Involved:

  • Charles Olson 

  • Allen Ginsberg 

  • Robert Creeley, Gary Snyder, Jack Spicer, Joanne Kyger, Lew Welch, John Wieners, Ron Loewinsohn, Ed Dorn, Richard Duerden, George Stanley 

  • Amiri Baraka (Leroi Jones) was scheduled but didn’t attend.