Larry Keenan, Photographer - Beat Generation & Counterculture Photos
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1960s & 1970s Counterculture Gallery

DR. TIMOTHY LEARY, HUMAN BE-IN

DR. TIMOTHY LEARY, HUMAN BE-IN
San Francisco 1967

This is my reverent portrait of Dr. Tim at the Be-In in the Polo Fields in Golden Gate Park. An amazing day with over 20,000 in attendance and most of the Counter-Culture icons present.
KANDEL & LEARY / BE-IN

KANDEL & LEARY / BE-IN
San Francisco 1967

Erotic poet, Lenore Kandel and LSD guru, Timothy Leary are talking together on stage at the "Gathering of the Tribes: The Human Be-In." It was an amazing day with over 20,000 people attending. I even saw a sky diver land in the crowd at the Polo Field in Golden Gate Park.
THE HUMAN BE-IN GATHERING OF THE TRIBES

THE HUMAN BE-IN GATHERING OF THE TRIBES
San Francisco 1967

I was driving across the Bay Bridge to photograph and participate in the first Human Be-In when I looked around realized that everyone going to San Francisco was going to the Be-In. That's how big this event was at the Polo Grounds in Golden Gate Park. For the first time the Counter Culture saw itself and how huge the movement was. They listened to Beat poets and Rock & Roll while jammed together so tight no one could move around. I thought I was trapped and would not see any good shots when a hippie stood up tripping then followed by a child drinking milk.
Freewheelin Frank at the Human Be-In

FREEWHEELIN ON DUTY
San Francisco 1967

Hell's Angel, Freewheelin Frank was guarding the sound truck at the Human Be-In. He was sitting on top of the truck looking into the sun, tripping on LSD. Some guy on the ground below started taunting Frank. The guy got really abusive to the point where Frank had to act (like a Hell's Angel) and attack. Frank jumped down on the guy hitting him square in the face with both of his motorcycle boots. The guy got up unfazed and picked Frank up by grabbing him by the nose (like a bowling ball), then flipping him over on to ground in front of me. Stoned, Frank was getting beaten-up. Someone ran to get his brother Angels who came in a rush; the crowd parted like a zipper opening a jacket. Their code, as I remember it, is "all on one, one on all." We got to witness the "all on one" part. They all jumped the guy and beat him until the crowd started to boo and chant then the Angels stopped hitting him. Frank came over to me and asked if I got any shots of the fight. I did not because of my 300mm lens focused from 25' to infinity and the fight was at my feet. When I saw Freewheelin a few weeks later, he told me his eyes had gotten burnt staring into the sun on acid.
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