Ginsberg's First Howl

Reed College in Oregon has discovered what is believed to be the first ever recording of Allen Ginsberg reading "Howl," the epic poem of the beat generation.

In February 1956, poets Allen Ginsberg and Gary Snyder hitch-hiked from Berkeley, California up to Reed College (Snyder's alma mater) where Ginsberg read "Howl," a month before what was formerly believed to be the first recording in Berkeley in March of the same year.

The reel-to-reel tape was recently discovered in a box labeled "Snyder Ginsberg 1956" that had apparently been unopened at the college for more than 50 years. On it, Ginsberg reads the first section of "Howl" and some other poems.

Reed has posted this recording of "Howl Part I" on their Web site.