Allen Ginsberg was a poet, writer, and human rights activist who was a pivotal figure of the revolutionary Beat Generation. An outspoken individual, he voiced his views against capitalism, militarism, nuclear weapons, censorship, materialism, and sexual repression in his works. He openly advocated for homosexual rights and called for the peaceful coexistence of people having diverse views and opinions. The son of a poet and schoolteacher, he developed an early love for writing. He began publishing his poems while still in high school and received a scholarship to attend Columbia University. During this time, he became acquainted with several future writers including Jack Kerouac and William S. Burroughs, with who he would collaborate later. He moved to San Francisco and built a solid reputation as a poet representing the “new generation.” As a poet, he played a major role in popularizing the Beat Generation and is credited to have contributed to the development of an American vernacular in poetry. As an activist, he participated in decades of political protests. Born into a Jewish family, he later developed a fascination for Eastern religious disciplines and embraced Buddhism. He adopted a very simple lifestyle, living in modest apartments and purchasing things from second-hand stores.