On April 5, 1997, Allen Ginsberg, acclaimed poet and active member of the Beat Movement, passed away at the age of 70 after a life filled with artistic contributions. Ginsberg was born on June 3, 1926, in Newark, New Jersey, and he was raised in the city’s close-knit Jewish community. He attended Columbia University, where he became inspired by the works of writers such as William Carlos Williams, William Blake and Walt Whitman. Because of these influences, he developed his own unique and often controversial writing style, which would later become celebrated in Beat-inspired works such as “Howl” and “Kaddish.” Ginsberg was an active political and civic leader, working to fight against racism, poverty, homophobia, censorship and the Vietnam War, among other causes. He was a frequent speaker at rallies and protests, and he traveled widely around the world and served as a professor at several universities. Ginsberg received numerous awards throughout his life, including the National Book Award and the American Award for Poetry. He was also inducted into the National Hall of Fame for Writers. Ginsberg is survived by his partner, Peter Orlovsky; his older brother, Eugene; his son, Jesse; and his grandson, Blake. He is also remembered by millions of people around the world who have been inspired by his words.