Bill Morgan (archivist)
Encyclopedia
Bill Morgan is an American writer, editor and painter, best known for his work as an archivist and bibliographer for public figures such as Allen Ginsberg
, Lawrence Ferlinghetti
, Abbie Hoffman
, and Timothy Leary
.
and its key figures.
Bill Morgan's interest in the Beats goes back to the early 1970s, when he was attending school at the University of Pittsburgh
. For his master's degree thesis, he compiled a bibliography of the works of Lawrence Ferlinghetti
, poet and owner of City Lights Books, the famous San Francisco bookstore and one of the most important publishers of the early Beat
writers, most notably Allen Ginsberg
. After finishing his thesis, Morgan was encouraged by the editors at the University of Pittsburgh Press
to pursue this project with a view toward eventual publication. He did indeed continue his research, working in close collaboration with Ferlinghetti as his personal bibliographer, and, after a decade of research, he published Lawrence Ferlinghetti: A Comprehensive Bibliography (New York: Garland Publishing, 1982).
By 1980 Morgan had moved to New York City
. While he was still working on the Ferlinghetti book, the San Francisco poet had referred him to Allen Ginsberg
, whose own personal library and archive were invaluable sources of information on the Beats. Early consultations with the poet grew into an enduring relationship that lasted from the early 1980s until Ginsberg's death in 1997. During these years Morgan served as Ginsberg's archivist and bibliographer, helping the poet to organize and maintain his ever-increasing library and records. As Ginsberg's bibliographer, Morgan spent fifteen years corresponding with and visiting numerous publishers, editors, scholars, and library collections in order to gather sufficient information to document the history of Ginsberg's prodigious output and the worldwide attention it has drawn. The results of his research appeared in a two-volume bibliography: The Works of Allen Ginsberg, 1941-1994: A Descriptive Bibliography and The Response to Allen Ginsberg, 1926-1994: A Bibliography of Secondary Sources] (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1995, 1997). In 2006, Morgan published I Celebrate Myself: The Somewhat Private Life of Allen Ginsberg(New York: Viking, 2006). He followed that in 2010 with The Typewriter Is Holy: The Complete, Uncensored History of the Beat Generation(New York, NY: Free Press, 2010).
Morgan has also authored or edited a half-dozen other works relating to the Beats, including collections of Ginsberg's essays (Deliberate Prose: Selected Essays, 1952–1995, New York: HarperCollins, 2000), of the poet's last poems (Death & Fame: Poems, 1993-1997; coedited with Bob Rosenthal and Peter Hale, New York: HarperFlamingo, 1999), and of Gregory Corso's correspondence (An Accidental Autobiography: The Selected Letters of Gregory Corso, New York: New Directions, 2003). Through City Lights
in San Francisco, he has published two guides, The Beat Generation in New York: A Walking Tour of Jack Kerouac's City (1997) and The Beat Generation in San Francisco: A Literary Tour (2003). The latter appeared during the fiftieth anniversary celebration of City Lights
, to which Morgan also contributed with a series of free walking tours of the North Beach section of San Francisco, once a center of bohemian life in the city and a past home for many of the Beats in the 1950s and 1960s.
In the course of his decades of research on the Beats, Morgan gathered perhaps the largest private collections of printed works by and about Ferlinghetti and Ginsberg in private hands. Recently, finding it increasingly difficult to maintain these two very large and valuable collections in his New York City
apartment, he reluctantly determined to part with them. Knowing that Ferlinghetti was a UNC-Chapel Hill alumnus, he decided in the fall of 2001 to offer his collection of the San Francisco poet to the UNC
libraries. Discussions with library officials led to the transfer of the collection to Chapel Hill
in December of that year, partly as sale and partly as gift. Pleased with the outcome, Morgan then offered a similar arrangement for his even more extensive Allen Ginsberg
collection. The materials were delivered to the Rare Book Collection in Wilson Library in August 2002.
Allen Ginsberg
Irwin Allen Ginsberg was an American poet and one of the leading figures of the Beat Generation in the 1950s. He vigorously opposed militarism, materialism and sexual repression...
, Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Lawrence Ferlinghetti is an American poet, painter, liberal activist, and the co-founder of City Lights Booksellers & Publishers...
, Abbie Hoffman
Abbie Hoffman
Abbot Howard "Abbie" Hoffman was a political and social activist who co-founded the Youth International Party ....
, and Timothy Leary
Timothy Leary
Timothy Francis Leary was an American psychologist and writer, known for his advocacy of psychedelic drugs. During a time when drugs like LSD and psilocybin were legal, Leary conducted experiments at Harvard University under the Harvard Psilocybin Project, resulting in the Concord Prison...
.
Biography
Morgan served as Ginsberg's personal archivist and bibliographer from the early-'80s until the author's death of cancer in 1997. Over their 20-year professional relationship, Morgan became quite close to Ginsberg, and has written extensively on the Beat GenerationBeat generation
The Beat Generation refers to a group of American post-WWII writers who came to prominence in the 1950s, as well as the cultural phenomena that they both documented and inspired...
and its key figures.
Bill Morgan's interest in the Beats goes back to the early 1970s, when he was attending school at the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
. For his master's degree thesis, he compiled a bibliography of the works of Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Lawrence Ferlinghetti is an American poet, painter, liberal activist, and the co-founder of City Lights Booksellers & Publishers...
, poet and owner of City Lights Books, the famous San Francisco bookstore and one of the most important publishers of the early Beat
Beat generation
The Beat Generation refers to a group of American post-WWII writers who came to prominence in the 1950s, as well as the cultural phenomena that they both documented and inspired...
writers, most notably Allen Ginsberg
Allen Ginsberg
Irwin Allen Ginsberg was an American poet and one of the leading figures of the Beat Generation in the 1950s. He vigorously opposed militarism, materialism and sexual repression...
. After finishing his thesis, Morgan was encouraged by the editors at the University of Pittsburgh Press
University of Pittsburgh Press
The University of Pittsburgh Press is a scholarly publishing house and a major American university press, part of the University of Pittsburgh. The university and the press are located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States....
to pursue this project with a view toward eventual publication. He did indeed continue his research, working in close collaboration with Ferlinghetti as his personal bibliographer, and, after a decade of research, he published Lawrence Ferlinghetti: A Comprehensive Bibliography (New York: Garland Publishing, 1982).
By 1980 Morgan had moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. While he was still working on the Ferlinghetti book, the San Francisco poet had referred him to Allen Ginsberg
Allen Ginsberg
Irwin Allen Ginsberg was an American poet and one of the leading figures of the Beat Generation in the 1950s. He vigorously opposed militarism, materialism and sexual repression...
, whose own personal library and archive were invaluable sources of information on the Beats. Early consultations with the poet grew into an enduring relationship that lasted from the early 1980s until Ginsberg's death in 1997. During these years Morgan served as Ginsberg's archivist and bibliographer, helping the poet to organize and maintain his ever-increasing library and records. As Ginsberg's bibliographer, Morgan spent fifteen years corresponding with and visiting numerous publishers, editors, scholars, and library collections in order to gather sufficient information to document the history of Ginsberg's prodigious output and the worldwide attention it has drawn. The results of his research appeared in a two-volume bibliography: The Works of Allen Ginsberg, 1941-1994: A Descriptive Bibliography and The Response to Allen Ginsberg, 1926-1994: A Bibliography of Secondary Sources] (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1995, 1997). In 2006, Morgan published I Celebrate Myself: The Somewhat Private Life of Allen Ginsberg(New York: Viking, 2006). He followed that in 2010 with The Typewriter Is Holy: The Complete, Uncensored History of the Beat Generation(New York, NY: Free Press, 2010).
Morgan has also authored or edited a half-dozen other works relating to the Beats, including collections of Ginsberg's essays (Deliberate Prose: Selected Essays, 1952–1995, New York: HarperCollins, 2000), of the poet's last poems (Death & Fame: Poems, 1993-1997; coedited with Bob Rosenthal and Peter Hale, New York: HarperFlamingo, 1999), and of Gregory Corso's correspondence (An Accidental Autobiography: The Selected Letters of Gregory Corso, New York: New Directions, 2003). Through City Lights
City Lights
City Lights is a 1931 American silent film and romantic comedy-drama written by, directed by, and starring Charlie Chaplin. It also has the leads Virginia Cherrill and Harry Myers. Although "talking" pictures were on the rise since 1928, City Lights was immediately popular. Today, it is thought of...
in San Francisco, he has published two guides, The Beat Generation in New York: A Walking Tour of Jack Kerouac's City (1997) and The Beat Generation in San Francisco: A Literary Tour (2003). The latter appeared during the fiftieth anniversary celebration of City Lights
City Lights
City Lights is a 1931 American silent film and romantic comedy-drama written by, directed by, and starring Charlie Chaplin. It also has the leads Virginia Cherrill and Harry Myers. Although "talking" pictures were on the rise since 1928, City Lights was immediately popular. Today, it is thought of...
, to which Morgan also contributed with a series of free walking tours of the North Beach section of San Francisco, once a center of bohemian life in the city and a past home for many of the Beats in the 1950s and 1960s.
In the course of his decades of research on the Beats, Morgan gathered perhaps the largest private collections of printed works by and about Ferlinghetti and Ginsberg in private hands. Recently, finding it increasingly difficult to maintain these two very large and valuable collections in his New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
apartment, he reluctantly determined to part with them. Knowing that Ferlinghetti was a UNC-Chapel Hill alumnus, he decided in the fall of 2001 to offer his collection of the San Francisco poet to the UNC
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
libraries. Discussions with library officials led to the transfer of the collection to Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Chapel Hill is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, United States and the home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNC Health Care...
in December of that year, partly as sale and partly as gift. Pleased with the outcome, Morgan then offered a similar arrangement for his even more extensive Allen Ginsberg
Allen Ginsberg
Irwin Allen Ginsberg was an American poet and one of the leading figures of the Beat Generation in the 1950s. He vigorously opposed militarism, materialism and sexual repression...
collection. The materials were delivered to the Rare Book Collection in Wilson Library in August 2002.
Major works
- Beat Atlas: A Guide to the Beat Generation in America. (City Lights Publishers, 2011) ISBN 978-0-87286-512-9. (Forthcoming.)
- The Beat Generation in San Francisco: A Literary Tour. (City LightsCity LightsCity Lights is a 1931 American silent film and romantic comedy-drama written by, directed by, and starring Charlie Chaplin. It also has the leads Virginia Cherrill and Harry Myers. Although "talking" pictures were on the rise since 1928, City Lights was immediately popular. Today, it is thought of...
, 2003). - The Beat Generation in New York: A Walking Tour of Jack Kerouac's City (City LightsCity LightsCity Lights is a 1931 American silent film and romantic comedy-drama written by, directed by, and starring Charlie Chaplin. It also has the leads Virginia Cherrill and Harry Myers. Although "talking" pictures were on the rise since 1928, City Lights was immediately popular. Today, it is thought of...
, 1997). - I Celebrate Myself: The Somewhat Private Life of Allen Ginsberg (New York: Viking, 2006).
- The Letters of Allen Ginsberg (Philadelphia:De Capo, 2008).
- The Typewriter Is Holy: The Complete, Uncensored History of the Beat Generation. (New York: Free Press, 2010).