Ferlinghetti’s Light Shines On

The North Beach icon who inspired countless writers and activists is memorialized by fans across the globe.

san francisco, ca   feb 23  a woman lights incense at a memorial outside city lights bookstore in remembrance of co founder lawrence ferlinghetti, a poet, publisher, painter, a pivotal figure to the beats movement, after the news of his death at the age of 101, in san francisco, california tuesday, february 23, 2021stephen lam  the san francisco chronicle via getty images
San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images

Literary legend Lawrence Ferlinghetti died on Monday at age 101 in San Francisco’s North Beach, the vibrant neighborhood he’s all but synonymous with. A bestselling poet and a cofounder of City Lights Booksellers & Publishers, Ferlinghetti was instrumental in changing American literature, namely by giving voice to the counterculture literary scene of the 1950s Beat generation and beyond. The acclaimed writer, poet, essayist, and activist’s 1958 book, A Coney Island of the Mind, has sold roughly a million copies and remains in print. Here, we’ve gathered a collection of tributes that help honor Ferlinghetti’s countless contributions to our culture.

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    Nasim Ghasemiyeh is an assistant editor at Alta Journal.
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