View source for Human Be-In

{{short description|1967 countercultural gathering in San Francisco, California}}
{{hatnote|For the events in New York City, see [[Central Park be-ins]].}}
{{Infobox historical event
  |Event_Name     = Human Be-In
      | partof = the [[History of the hippie movement|Hippie movement]]
  |Image_Name     = Humanbein-p.jpg
  |Imagesize      = 290px
  |Image_Alt      = 
  |Image_Caption  = Poster advertising the 'Human Be-In', designed by [[Stanley Mouse]] (artist) and [[Michael Bowen (artist)|Michael Bowen]] (concept), using the photograph of artist Casey Sonnabend
  |Thumb_Time     = 
  |AKA            = 
  |Participants   = Possibly 20,000–30,000 people
  |Location       = [[San Francisco]], [[United States]]
  |Date           = January 14, 1967
  |nongregorian   = 
  |Deaths        = 
  |Result         = Inspiration for the [[Summer of Love]]
  |URL            = 
}}

The '''Human Be-In''' was an event held in [[San Francisco]]'s [[Golden Gate Park]] [[Polo Fields]] on January&nbsp;14,&nbsp;1967.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/love/program/love_02_wm_lo.html|title=American Experience Summer of Love|publisher=PBS|access-date=2017-08-31|archive-date=2015-09-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924154214/http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/love/program/love_02_wm_lo.html|url-status=dead}} </ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Goldberg |first1=Danny |title=All the Human Be-In Was Saying 50 Years Ago, Was Give Peace a Chance |url=https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/all-the-human-be-in-was-saying-50-years-ago-was-give-peace-a-chance/ |website=[[The Nation]] |access-date=12 January 2021 |date=13 January 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Palmer |first1=Steven |title=The Human Be-In Teach-In |url=http://oralhistory.columbia.edu/human-be-in |website=Oral History Masters of Arts |publisher=Columbia University |access-date=12 January 2021}}</ref> It was a prelude to San Francisco's [[Summer of Love]], which made the [[Haight-Ashbury]] district a symbol of American [[counterculture]] and introduced the word "[[wikt:psychedelic|psychedelic]]" to [[suburbia]].

==Origins==
===Counterculture===
The Human Be-In focused the key ideas of the [[1960s counterculture]]: personal empowerment, cultural and political decentralization, [[commune (intentional community)|communal living]], [[Ecology|ecological]] awareness, [[higher consciousness]] (with the aid of psychedelic drugs), acceptance of illicit psychedelics use, and radical [[New Left]] [[political consciousness]].<ref name="Powis2003">{{cite web|url=http://www.radionetherlands.nl/features/cultureandhistory/031221be-in.html |publisher=Radio Netherlands Worldwide |first=Neville |last=Powis |title=The Human Be-In and the Hippy Revolution |date=22 January 2003 |access-date=21 April 2006 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060421102203/http://www.radionetherlands.nl/features/cultureandhistory/031221be-in.html |archive-date=21 April 2006 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.org/thisday/jan14/human-be-/|title=Human Be-In|date=2014-12-12|work=National Geographic Society|access-date=2017-08-17|language=en|archive-date=2017-08-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817162800/https://www.nationalgeographic.org/thisday/jan14/human-be-/|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Hippies|hippie movement]] developed out of disaffected student communities around [[San Francisco State University]], [[City College of San Francisco|City College]] and [[University of California, Berkeley|Berkeley]] and in San Francisco's [[beat generation]] poets and jazz [[Hipster (1940s subculture)|hipsters]], who also combined a search for intuitive spontaneity with a rejection of "[[middle-class]] [[morality]]". [[Allen Ginsberg]] personified the transition between the beat and hippie generations.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}

===Protests===
{{See also|Love Pageant Rally}}
The Human Be-In took its name from a chance remark by the artist [[Michael Bowen (artist)|Michael Bowen]] made at the [[Love Pageant Rally]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sfbg.com/entry.php?entry_id=4344&catid=4&volume_id=254&issue_id=311&volume_num=41&issue_num=47|title=San Francisco Bay Guardian|work=sfbg.com}}</ref> The playful name combined [[Humanism|humanist]] values with the scores of [[sit-in]]s that had been reforming college and university practices and eroding the vestiges of entrenched [[Racial segregation|segregation]], starting with the lunch counter sit-ins of 1960 in [[Greensboro sit-ins|Greensboro, North Carolina]], and [[Nashville sit-ins|Nashville, Tennessee]]. The first major [[teach-in]] had been organized by [[Students for a Democratic Society (1960 organization)|Students for a Democratic Society]] at the [[University of Michigan]], 24–25 March 1965.<ref>''New York Times'' 3/25/65.</ref>

==Event==
The Human Be-In was announced on the cover of the fifth issue of the ''[[San Francisco Oracle]]'' as "A Gathering of the Tribes for a Human Be-In". The occasion was a new California law banning the use of the psychedelic drug [[Lysergic acid diethylamide|LSD]] that had come into effect on October&nbsp;6,&nbsp;1966.<ref name = "Powis2003" /> The speakers at the rally were all invited by Bowen, the main organizer. They included  [[Timothy Leary]] in his first San Francisco appearance, who set the tone that afternoon with his famous phrase "[[Turn on, tune in, drop out]]"<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.sfchronicle.com/music/article/Reliving-the-Human-Be-In-50-years-later-10854785.php#photo-12168922|title=Reliving the Human Be-In 50 years later|work=San Francisco Chronicle|access-date=2017-08-17|archive-date=2017-08-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817164207/http://www.sfchronicle.com/music/article/Reliving-the-Human-Be-In-50-years-later-10854785.php#photo-12168922|url-status=live}}</ref> and Richard Alpert (soon to be known as "[[Ram Dass]]"), and poets like [[Allen Ginsberg]], who chanted [[mantra]]s, [[Gary Snyder]] and [[Michael McClure]]. Other counterculture gurus included comedian [[Dick Gregory]], [[Lenore Kandel]], [[Lawrence Ferlinghetti]], [[Jerry Rubin]], and [[Alan Watts]]. Music was provided by a host of local [[rock band]]s including [[Jefferson Airplane]], [[Grateful Dead]], [[Big Brother and the Holding Company]], [[Quicksilver Messenger Service]], and [[Blue Cheer]], most of whom had been staples of [[the Fillmore]] and the [[Avalon Ballroom]].<ref name = "Miles2004">{{cite book | title = Hippie | first = Barry | last = Miles | author-link = Barry Miles | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=fLulFlbAJGgC | date = 2004 | publisher = Sterling | isbn = 978-1-40271-442-9 | access-date = 2017-08-31 | archive-date = 2017-02-17 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170217043635/https://books.google.com/books?id=fLulFlbAJGgC | url-status = live }}</ref>{{rp|186–191}} "Underground chemist" [[Owsley Stanley]] provided massive amounts of his "White Lightning" LSD, specially produced for the event, as well as 75 {{convert|20|lb|0|adj=on|spell=in}} turkeys, for free distribution by the [[Diggers (theater)|Diggers]].<ref name = Ringolevio>{{cite book | last = Grogan | first = Emmett | title = Ringolevio: A Life Played for Keeps | publisher = Citadel Press | year = 1990 | url = http://www.diggers.org/ringolevio.htm | isbn = 0-8065-1168-0 | access-date = 2008-03-05 | archive-date = 2008-02-04 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080204022656/http://www.diggers.org/ringolevio.htm | url-status = live }}</ref>{{rp|267}}{{efn|[[Ringolevio]] p. 274 – The turkeys had been made into thousands of sandwiches under John-John's supervision, and the bread was salted down with crushed acid. Gary organized the free distribution of the sandwiches to those who looked like they needed something to eat, physically or spiritually.}}

The national media were stunned, publicity about this event leading to the mass movement of young people from all over America to descend on the [[Haight-Ashbury]] area.<ref>{{cite book | title = Grassroots Medicine: The Story of America's Free Health Clinics | first = Gregory L. | last = Weiss | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=3NPaH01h0vYC&pg=PA29 | date = 2006 | publisher = Rowman & Littlefield | isbn = 978-0-74254-070-5 | access-date = 2020-11-12 | archive-date = 2021-01-12 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210112092306/https://books.google.com/books?id=3NPaH01h0vYC&pg=PA29 | url-status = live }}</ref> Reports were unable to agree whether 20,000<ref name = "Powis2003" /> or 30,000 people showed up at the Be-In.<ref name = "Miles2004" />{{rp|188}} Soon every gathering was an "-In" of some kind: Just four weeks later was [[Bob Fass]]'s [[Bob Fass#Human Fly-In|Human Fly-In]], then the Love-In (March 26, 1967 at Elysian Park, Los Angeles), the [[Emmett Grogan]] inspired [[Bob Fass#Sweep In|Sweep-In]], Rowan and Martin's ''[[Laugh-In]]'' comedy television show began airing over [[NBC]] just a year later on January 22, 1968. This was followed by the first "[[Bob Fass#Yip In at Grand Central|Yip-In]]" (March 21, 1968, at [[Grand Central Terminal]]), another "[[Love-in|Love-In]]" (April 14, 1968, at Malibu Canyon) and, [[John Lennon]] and [[Yoko Ono]]'s "[[Bed-In]]" (March 25, 1969, in Amsterdam).{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}

The [[Hells Angels]] acted as de-facto security, which included guarding the sole extension cord which provided power to the music stage and kept getting pulled and unplugged by the crowd; and watching over lost children.<ref>{{cite book |last=Selvin |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Selvin |title=Altamont: The Rolling Stones, the Hells Angels, and the inside story of rock's darkest day |publisher=Dey St. |year=2016 |page=74 |quote=Hells Angels had acted as security, guarding the flimsy extension cord that supplied power to the stage that the crowd kept unplugging. They’d even handled the lost children. |isbn=9780062444264 |url=https://archive.org/details/altamontrollings0000selv_h9r9/page/74/mode/2up }}</ref> 

=== Inspiration ===
The Human Be-In was organized mainly by Bowen with the assistance of poet [[Allen Cohen (poet)|Allen Cohen]] in the organizational work.{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}} The idea of the Human Be-In was born of a fear that the movement would be erased due to tensions between factions of the Hippie movement.{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}} Bowen writes "The anti-war and free speech movement in Berkeley thought the Hippies were too disengaged and spaced out. Their influence might draw the young away from resistance to the war. The Hippies thought the anti-war movement was doomed to endless confrontations with the establishment which would recoil with violence and fascism".{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}} They decided to thus create 'A Gathering of the Tribes', as the event was advertised on posters later on.{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}} This event would use musical performances , group meditation and chanting sessions, political rallies, and speeches to inspire all the factions that they had all joined this movement because they had the same beliefs: peace, love for one another, and freedom.{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}} This would be the first moment of true unification within the Hippie Movement in its history.{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}}

==Legacy==
The counterculture that surfaced at the "Human Be-In" encouraged people to "question authority" with regard to [[civil rights]], [[women's rights]], and [[consumer rights]]. Underground newspapers and radio stations served as its [[alternative media]].<ref name="BB73">{{cite web |date=6 January 1967 |title=Berkeley Barb, (Issue 73) |url=http://voices.revealdigital.com/cgi-bin/independentvoices?a=d&d=BFBJFGD19670106&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN---------------1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210112092333/https://voices.revealdigital.org/cgi-bin/independentvoices?a=d&d=BFBJFGD19670106&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN---------------1 |archive-date=12 January 2021 |access-date=13 January 2017 |website=Independent Voices: An Open Access collection of an Alternative Press}}</ref>{{efn|[[Berkeley Barb]], (Issue 73) – The two radical scenes are for the first time beginning to look at each other more closely. What both see is that both are under a big impersonal stick called The Establishment. So they’re going to stand up together in what both hope to be a new and strong harmony.}}

A Human Be-In was put on in [[Denver|Denver, Colorado]] in July 1967 by [[Chet Helms]] and [[Barry Fey]] to harness the energy of the famed San Francisco event that occurred in January and promote their new Family Dog Productions venue, [[The Family Dog Denver]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=July 9, 2021|title=The Tale of the Dog Documentary Uncovers a Gem from the 1960s|url=https://www.5280.com/2021/07/the-tale-of-the-dog-documentary-uncovers-a-gem-from-the-1960s/|website=[[5280]]}}</ref> The event attracted 5,000 people and featured performances by [[Grateful Dead]], [[Odetta]] and [[Captain Beefheart]]. [[Timothy Leary]] and [[Ken Kesey]] were said to have also been in attendance.<ref>{{Cite web|date=June 8, 2021|title=Hippie History: The Tale of the Dog Chronicles a Denver Rock Landmark|url=https://www.westword.com/music/the-tale-of-the-dog-starts-streaming-june-8-11987552|website=[[Westword]]}}</ref>

A "Digital Be-In" was produced in San Francisco from 1989 to 2008.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Digital Be-in|url=http://www.be-in.com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200830103904/http://www.be-in.com/ |archive-date=30 August 2020 }}</ref>

A UK&nbsp;theatre company, Theatre&nbsp;14167 (ddmyy), (also 14167 films)  takes its name from the date of the Be-In; the company subsequently produced work by [[Michael McClure]], who read at the event.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=SJgrAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Theatre+14167%22 Theatre Record], p. 846, 2006</ref>

==See also==
*[[Bed-In]]
*[[Central Park be-in]]
*[[Counterculture of the 1960s]]
*[[Teach-in]]
*[[Timeline of 1960s counterculture#1967|Timeline of 1960s counterculture]]

==Further reading==
*{{cite book
  | last = Grogan
  | first = Emmett
  | title = Ringolevio: A Life Played for Keeps
  | publisher = Citadel Press
  | year = 1990
  | url = http://www.diggers.org/ringolevio.htm
  | isbn = 0-8065-1168-0
}}

==Notes==
{{notelist|40em}}

==References==
{{reflist|40em}}

==External links==
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTGyFgyB5Q8 Human Be-In -  1/14/1967] - Polo Fields, [[Golden Gate Park]] - San Francisco, CA, via [http://www.musicvault.com Music Vault] on [[YouTube]]:
*[http://www.be-in.com Human Be-In 50th Anniversary]
*[http://www.allencohen.us/ Allen Cohen's website, with history from an insider.]
*[http://www.rockument.com/ha.html Haight-Ashbury in the 1960s 'Rockument' commentary and sound bites.]
*[http://collections.museumca.org/?q=collection-item/201054740 1967 Berkeley Poster for 'Pow-Wow: A Gathering of the Tribes for a Human Be-In']
*[http://www.diggers.org/loren_sears_gallery.htm Loren Sears' Human Be-In film at 'The Diggers Archive']

{{Hippies}}
{{Anti-war}}
{{Counterculture of the 1960s}}
{{Anti-Vietnam}}
{{Golden Gate Park}}

[[Category:Counterculture festivals]]
[[Category:Festivals in California]]
[[Category:Golden Gate Park]]
[[Category:Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco]]
[[Category:Hippie movement]]
[[Category:History of San Francisco]]
[[Category:Opposition to United States involvement in the Vietnam War]]
[[Category:1967 in California]]
[[Category:January 1967 in the United States]]
[[Category:1967 in the United States]]
[[Category:1960s in San Francisco]]