Louis Ginsberg papers, 1920-1976

After clicking 'Submit Request', users will login with their UNI and password (Columbia affiliates) or their special collections account (external users). Appointments are required and will be arranged according to each individual repository's policy.


Series II: Audio Recordings, 1966-1976

Series consists of audio recordings of joint poetry readings, interviews, and conversations between Louis and Allen Ginsberg, and family members. The open reel audiotapes are poetry readings and joint interviews of Louis and/or with Allen Ginsberg at colleges, libraries, clubs, and other locations, dating from 1966 to 1975. The audiocassettes comprise of family conversations and poetry readings in a home setting, dating from 1974 to 1976, with its bulk dated 1976 January to June.


Subseries II.1: Open Reel Audiotapes, 1966-1975



Box 27 Louis Ginsberg at "Y", 1966 July 23, 1 open reel audiotapes


Box 27 Louis and Allen Ginsberg, Paterson State College, 1967 March 19, 1 open reel audiotapes


Box 27 Louis Ginsberg, Wayne State University, Lecture before Medical students in Physiology and Pharmacology, 1967 May 04, 1 open reel audiotapes

play at 3 3/4 speed (standard)


Box 27 Allen and Louis Ginsberg at Newark Pharmacy, 1968 January 17, 1 open reel audiotapes

Allen and Louis Ginsberg, reading at Newark Pharmacy [box said Brooklyn Academy, corrected by A.G.]. Dubbed @ 3 3/4ips Scotch 203 tape. Side one: dub of reels 68A3/002 and 68A3/003. Allen reads for first half of tape, followed by Louis. Side two: dub of reel 68A3/004. Last part of Louis Ginsberg's reading followed by a question and answer period.


Box 27 Jersey City Poetry Reading, 1969 April 12, 1 open reel audiotapes

Side I: Jersey City, St. Pater's Poetry reading and Allen and Louis Ginsberg, April 12, 1969 Dub of 69A2/027-28.


Interview with Dr. Leon Mones, July 7, 1969, 1 open reel audiotapes

Side II: Dr. Leon [Morles] interview on the Ginsberg family 7/7/69 2-3pm. 39E1/027D


Box 27 Louis Ginsberg at ICA London, circa after 1969, 1 open reel audiotapes

Dub of Ginsbergs at the ICA album. Allen and Louis Ginsberg reading their poems in ICA, Dover Street, London. Louis Ginsberg side of album only.


Box 27 Louis and Allen Ginsberg, PEN Club, Fifth Ave, New York, 1970 May 05, 1 open reel audiotapes

Dub at 3 3/4 full track mono. Boardcast by WRVR-FM NYC.


Box 27 Father and Son, the Ginsbergs (WBAI Interview Conversations: Louis and Allen Ginsberg), 1970 July 21, 2 open reel audiotapes

Tape 1: Intro: Next you will hear conversations: Louis and Allen Ginsberg. Allen Ginsberg and his father, Louis discuss their poetry, their relationship, and read some of their recent poetry. Louis Ginsberg's collection of poetry, MORNING IN SPRING was recently published by Morrow. Gil Jardine from WBAI's drama and literature department joins in the discussion. The first voice you will hear will be Louis Ginsberg's. Time 48' 45". Location: Edit TR2. Dubbed by: Peter Tape 2: WBAI-FM 30 E.39th St., N.Y. 3 3/4 speed. Time: 68:16. Dubbed by: BG.


Box 27 Louis Ginsberg, Paterson Library, 1970 September 27, 1 open reel audiotapes

Not digitized due to poor condition.


Box 27 Allen and Louis Ginsberg, Reading at: the YM and YWHA, Saint Peter's College, 1970 December 03, 1 open reel audiotapes

Side 1: Allen and Louis Ginsberg reading at the YM and YWHA at 92nd St. and Lexington, NYC, December 3rd 1970. Dub at 3 3/4 ips on Scotch 203 on track one. [recorded originally on Scotch 207 at 7 1/2 ips-original in Allen Ginsberg Collection at Columbia University] Recorded by Ann Buchanan and Miles on a Rovx A77 using EV635A microphones. Timing: Louis Ginsberg 40:00/ 10:38, Allen Ginsberg 46:35.


Allen and Louis Ginsberg, Reading at: Saint Peter's College, March 1969, 1 open reel audiotapes

Side 2: Allen and Louis Ginsberg reading at Saint Peter's College in Patterson. March 1969. Dub at 3 3/4ips on Scotch 203 from original running at 7 1/2ips. Original on three sides of reels, here dubbed together to present continuous programme. Short blanks indicate new reel. Timing: Louis Ginsberg 37:15, Allen Ginsberg 47:32.


Box 27 Voice of America, Louis and Allen Ginsberg Poetry Reading Corcoran Gallery, 1971 March 04, 3 open reel audiotapes


Box 27 Allen and Louis Ginsberg, Douglass College in Voorhees Chapel, 1971 October 28, 2 open reel audiotapes

7 1/2 Stereo Uher 24 special (copy) recorded 7:30-9:30PM.


Box 27 Louis and Allen Ginsberg, University of Southern California, 1974 May 06, 1 open reel audiotapes

12-2pm Louis reading first 3/4 hr. Allen 1:05+2. 3 3/4 or 7/14 OSC al.


Box 27 Louis Ginsberg: The Poetry Center McKenna Auditorium SFSU, 1974 May 09, 1 open reel audiotapes

3 3/4ips left channel only


Box 27 [Ro… The Reading], 1 open reel audiotapes

Tape was rehoused from a chocolate box.


Box 27 Louis Ginsberg, circa 1970, 1 open reel audiotapes

Louis Ginsberg 3 3/4 ips. Side I: "Suddenly I Remembered" breaks off before end, "Conversations in My Study" Very high quality, change to 7 1/2 ips. Side II: Louis and other persons discussing how a cassette machine works. [Recording date unknown-maybe 1970?] Tail out.


Box 27 Louis Ginsberg poem: The Room, 1975 February 24, 1 open reel audiotapes

Contain a 2-page letter from Claire Liddel to Louis Ginsberg, dated Monday 24th February 1975, regarding the technical aspect of the tape and the content.


Subseries II.2: Audiocassettes, 1974-1976


Box 27 [Defective], 1 audiocassettes

Labeled as defective on Side 1


Box 27 Paterson Perspective: Ginsberg, Fichtelberg, Falk, 1974 January 06, 1 audiocassettes

Poets Louis Ginsberg and Ruth C. Falk and Paterson Library Director Leo Fichtelberg discuss culture in Paterson with John Cichowski at 9 a.m. Sunday, January 6, 1974 on WPAT-Radio. Runs 30:30


Box 27 Louis Ginsberg; Eugene Brooks; Allen Ginsberg, 2 audiocassettes

Side 1: Louis Ginsberg; Side 2: Eugene Brooks; Side 3: Allen Ginsberg


Box 27 Louis, Edith, Allen Ginsberg: Supper conversation, 1976 January 10, 1 audiocassettes

Saturday night. Louis, Allen, Edith Ginsberg 8:45-9:10. 1-766 After supper talk. Bellow's Humboldt Gift. Delmore Schwartz book and medical […] talk, […tion] of doctors, etc.


Box 27 Louis, Edith, : Supper conversation, 1976 January 11, 1 audiocassettes

Paterson, N.J. Side A and B: 5-8pm. Side A: Presupper conversation, Allen Abroad, A.G. Edith. Side B: Louis reading summer […] poem, 7-8 o'clock.


Box 27 Louis Ginsberg: Conversation, 1976 January 19, 1 audiocassettes

Monday 4:10pm conversation. Some morning conversation 5 minutes. 4PM return from […], Monday Jan. 19, 1976-5:30, [Beta Johnson?], Louis Ginsberg, [Mille Pollach?]

Not digitized due to poor condition.


Box 27 Louis Ginsberg, 1976 February 20-22, 1 audiocassettes

Side 1: Paterson-Louis Ginsberg, Allen Ginsberg, February 20, 1976; Side 2: [somplace?]-330 a poem paragphrased by Louis Ginsberg […] February 21-22, 1976


Box 27 Paterson: Louis Ginsberg, Allen Ginsberg, Edith Ginsberg, 1976 February 29, 1 audiocassettes

Side 1: Afternoon 2-3pm; 1-466 Sunday February 29, 1976 Paterson. 490 […] Louis Ginsberg,, A.G. and Edith after Dr. Levy's […], then visit by Cole (Leonard) family, then leaving for ride […] Paterson. 500 Poet [defi…] death. 550 phone call from Ruth. 588 Zen Sam [Freeman?]. Side 2: March 1, 1976, 12:30-1:30, 1-755 conversation and reading half of Book II Milton's Paradise Lost. 755-999 5-6pm Allen, Edith, and Louis


Box 27 Louis Ginsberg, Ferlinghetti, Allen, Peter, Edith, 1976 April 17, 27, 1 audiocassettes

Side 1: Louis home from hospital. 1-54 (noon time) to 171 after days later. April 17, 1976 to end side 1 with [Ferlinghetti] Allen […]. Side 2: April 17, 1976, Louis Ginsberg, Ferlinghetti, Allen, Peter, Edith, […] noon. […] A dream-27 April 1976


Box 27 Paterson, N.J.: Louis Ginsberg, Allen Ginsberg, Edith Ginsberg, 1976 April 27-28, 1 audiocassettes

Side A: Afternoon 2-3pm April 27, 1976. 1-600 […] phonecall. 600-814 April 28, 1976 conversation about night and stars, […] re: 416E34 St. House Naomi Dream Louis Talking. Side B: 1-614 April 27 afternoon, April 28 morning Laundry Carts.


Box 27 Paterson, N.J.: Louis Ginsberg, Allen Ginsberg, Edith Ginsberg, 1976 April 28-May 01, 1 audiocassettes

Side A: to 2:15pm Paterson, N.J. April 28, 1976. 1-315 Louis and Allen on life and death, laundry carts. 315-783 conversation and 6pm news, April 30. 1976 Louis, Edith, Allen. Side B: May 1, 1976 Conversation Macbeth, Shakespeare teaching, [Mihi?] Davita (Louis talking) 1-516 End conversation phone with Gene


Box 27 Louis and Allen Ginsberg, 1976 May 01-02, 1 audiocassettes

Side 1: May 1, 1976 Louis, Allen. Side 2: May 2, 1976 Eugene, Connie, Louis, [Diggy?] Spell, Louis [C..]


Box 27 Eugene, Louis, Connie, Edith, Allen Ginsberg, 1976 May 02, 1 audiocassettes

Side A: May 2, 1976 Louis, Eugene, Allen, Connie, Edith. [Reynuchott?] poems. 6:50-7:20pm conversation. Side B: May 2, 1976 Upside down stamps on Fair St. Pip and conv, rope and snake, Eugene, Connie, Louis, Edith, Allen


Box 27 Allen and Louis Ginsberg; Rutgers stories, 1976 May 03, 08, 1 audiocassettes

Side A: 1-163 Louis and Allen Monday May 3, 1976 going town on trip. 163-Rutgers Stories by Louis Ginsberg. Side B: Rutgers Stories by Louis Ginsberg.


Box 27 Rutgers; Louis Ginsberg, 1976 May 08-09, 1 audiocassettes

Side 1: Louis concluding stories about Rutgers-100? Visit from Ellen [Abrano?], Sandy, Edith, Allen. Side 2: May 9, 1976 to 6pm random conversation about […] death and life, Allen and Louis


Box 27 Louis and Allen Ginsberg; Honey and Lou, 1976 May 09-11, 16, 1 audiocassettes

Side 1: May 9, 1976 Louis and Allen Ginsberg, random conversation 1-423. 423-699 Memories of Rutgers' [ta…] and Fair St. Haledon ave houses May 10, 1976 Louis Ginsberg talking, May 10 (cont.) 1-130pm. 699-979 on [El…] Trees, spiders, who and? Side 2: May 10, 1976, 1-572 Louis on life death, poetry fatigue till supper. 572-658 May 11, some [question], 976. Honey, Leo, Abe, Louis Honey''s talk about visit to Saturday's May 15, 1976


Box 27 Leo, Honey, Louis, Allen Ginsberg-Wordsworth, WWI, 1976 May 16-17, 1 audiocassettes

Side 1: May 16, 1976 Leo, Honey, Louis, Abe, Allen, Edith, Paterson, N.J. Sunday noon 12-1pm Stories of Joel […]'s Family, told by Honey to […]. Side 2: May 16, 1976, 1-117 6pm Reading Wordsworth. 160-to end (probably) May 17, 1976 Louis and Allen discussing Wordsworth then WWII socialist communist and politics. This is continued on the next cassette of May 17.

Not digitized due to poor condition.


Box 27 Club poetry, Wordsworth's sonnets; Eugene, Allen, and Louis; Claire, etc., 1976 May 17-30, 1 audiocassettes

Side 1: May 17, 1976 Louis and Allen 1-230 discussing Wordsworth-Lou's short poem on the brushy house, which hid a glue factory in his childhod. 230-307 discussion of Plynell's cold springs… on May 18-… symptons to 376 Eugene and Louis to 470 end of tape May 20. Side 2: May 27 Louis, Allen, Peter, Edith-Louis talking about Peter Brooks "stuffy"-seepper houses... to 500 Claire Grolin, Jenny, Ethel Gaidennah Louis and Allen May 30, 1976 to end


Box 27 Allen, Louis Ginsberg, Alan Ziegler, 1976 June 03-04, 1 audiocassettes

Side 1: June 3, 1976, 1-275 with Alan Ziegler or Village Voice to end. 290 begins Ziegler. Side 2: Zeigler conversation, Ziegler and Louis