The Creators of the Beat Generation

The Beat Generation was created by author and poet Jack Kerouac, who introduced the idea of the beat-down, beat-up, and "on the beat" generation of writers and artists as a whole. The Beat "manifesto" was published in 1952 by John Clellon Holmes, a novelist, who released an article called "This is the Beat Generation" to the New York Times Magazine.

Allen Ginsberg gave strength to the movement by publishing a long poem entitled Howl, which spoke out against the conformity and materialism of the United States. He was joined by two other writers, close friends who would together fight against the current system and create their own style of artistic poetry. Jack Kerouac published a powerful book called On the Road, while Burroughs' poetry brought life to the writers of the generation.

The Beat Generation was composed of struggling writers, rebellious students, and drug addicts. Those who were part of the Beat Generation were certainly a minority, which is why it is interesting that their name caught on so effectively...they were the ground shakers of their generation, and therefore believed that they had the right to define such a massive group of people - the Americans.

The Beat Writers were bohemians, who were interested in spontaneous art, and in living life for the moment. They embraced works that showed open, powerful emotions without relying upon the conventions of other writers of the time.