Chicago Trial Testimony

by Allen Ginsberg

Reproduction of trial transcripts of the Chicago 7/8 trial in comic format.

74 pages, comic book

First published January 1, 1972

About the author

Allen Ginsberg was a groundbreaking American poet and activist best known for his central role in the Beat Generation and for writing the landmark poem Howl. Born in 1926 in Newark, New Jersey, to Jewish parents, Ginsberg grew up in a household shaped by both intellectualism and psychological struggle. His father, Louis Ginsberg, was a published poet and a schoolteacher, while his mother, Naomi, suffered from severe mental illness, which deeply affected Ginsberg and later influenced his writing—most notably in his poem Kaddish.
As a young man, Ginsberg attended Columbia University, where he befriended other future Beat luminaries such as Jack Kerouac, William S. Burroughs, and Neal Cassady. These relationships formed the core of what became known as the Beat Generation—a loose-knit group of writers and artists who rejected mainstream American values in favor of personal liberation, spontaneity, spiritual exploration, and radical politics.
Ginsberg rose to national prominence in 1956 with the publication of Howl and Other Poems, released by City Lights Books in San Francisco. Howl, an emotionally charged and stylistically experimental poem, offered an unfiltered vision of America’s underbelly. It included candid references to homosexuality, drug use, and mental illness—subjects considered taboo at the time. The poem led to an obscenity trial, which ultimately concluded in Ginsberg’s favor, setting a precedent for freedom of speech in literature.
His work consistently challenged social norms and addressed themes of personal freedom, sexual identity, spirituality, and political dissent. Ginsberg was openly gay at a time when homosexuality was still criminalized in much of the United States, and he became a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights throughout his life. His poetry often intertwined the personal with the political, blending confessional intimacy with a broader critique of American society.
Beyond his literary achievements, Ginsberg was also a dedicated activist. He protested against the Vietnam War, nuclear proliferation, and later, U.S. foreign policy in Latin America. He was present at many pivotal cultural and political moments of the 1960s and 1970s, including the 1968 Democratic National Convention and various countercultural gatherings. His spiritual journey led him to Buddhism, which deeply influenced his writing and worldview. He studied under Tibetan teacher Chögyam Trungpa and helped establish the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado.
Ginsberg’s later years were marked by continued literary output and collaborations with musicians such as Bob Dylan and The Clash. His poetry collections, including Reality Sandwiches, Planet News, and The Fall of America, were widely read and respected. He received numerous honors for his work, including the National Book Award for Poetry in 1974.
He died of liver cancer in 1997 at the age of 70. Today, Allen Ginsberg is remembered not only as a pioneering poet, but also as a courageous voice for free expression, social justice, and spiritual inquiry. His influence on American literature and culture remains profound and enduring.

Reviews

[Apolo GG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Lisandro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maravilloso Ginsberg!!

[Andrea Uribe · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Testimonio en Chicago" recopila parte de la declaración que ofreció Allen Ginsberg, en calidad de testigo de la defensa, en el juicio conocido como "los 7 de Chicago". La publicación incluye también un texto escrito por Jean Genet a propósito del juicio y dos textos que ofrecen contexto. Es una hermosa edición, muy cómoda de leer. Lo lamentable es que no se incluya la declaración completa (que fue larguísima, lo que podría explicar el corte), pues, según me parece, la riqueza de este libro es su valor como registro y fuente del involucramiento de un poeta en la política más contingente.

[J. D. Román · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es un libro corto donde se muestra la opinión del pueblo conservador sobre el peculiar estilo literario de la "generación beat" y la personalidad y filosofía de Allen Ginsberg, basada en el budismo y el yoga.

Es un documento jurídico impresionante y un valioso aporte a la figura de Ginsberg, acompañado de algunos poemas que el escritor recitó en pleno juicio.

[Tentatively, Convenience · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're like me (y'know, 47 feet tall w/ a penis like a pogo-stick), the Chicago '7' (or 8) trial is a very, very important event in the political history of this country. To be able to read Allen Ginsberg's verbatim testimony for it is an opportunity to see 2 cultures in conflict in a way rarely articulated so clearly. The 2 cultures being, of course, the "death festival" (the courts, the military, the government) & the "life festival" (the Yippies, the pacifists, me, probably YOU). The cover cartoon alone showing Ginsberg "OM"ing while floating on a cloud in lotus position in the courtroom is worth the 'price of admission' into this.

[Ernesto Briz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Edificante transcripción del testimonio de uno de los protagonistas de aquél bello intento de humanizar la sociedad que fue el movimiento Beat y todo lo relacionado con aquél, toda aquella electricidad llamada a revertir el status quo de la sociedad americana atrapada en viejos clichés. No deja de ser llamativo, como, en muchos aspectos, seguimos atrapados en las mismas redes

[Marco]

Copia autografata