Allen Ginsberg on the Beat Generation - HISTORY

An interview with visionary poet Allen Ginsberg and anthropologist Margaret Mead sheds light on the origin and meaning of the newly coined term "Beat Generation."

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Explore the existence of the generation gap that took place in the 1960's through this Ask Steve video. Steve Gillon explains there was even a larger gap between the Baby Boomers themselves than the Baby Boomers and the Greatest Generation. The massive Baby Boomers Generation was born between 1946 and 1964, consisting of nearly 78 million people. The Baby Boomers were coming of age in the 1960's, and held different cultural values than the Greatest Generation. The Greatest Generation lived in a time of self-denial, while the Baby Boomers were always seeking immediate gratification. However, the Baby Boomers were more divided amongst themselves. Not all of them were considered hippies and protesters. In fact, people under the age of 28 supported the Vietnam War in greater numbers than their parents. These divisions continue to play out today.

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Two years after Max Schmeling's knockout of the undefeated Joe Louis in a non-title bout, they met again on June 22, 1938, for a dramatic rematch at Yankee Stadium. Playing out in live coverage, the match goes to Louis who defeats the German in two minutes and four seconds. Louis was hailed as a hero for all Americans.

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