Allen Ginsberg was born on June 3, 1926, in Newark, New Jersey, to a Jewish Russian immigrant family. He grew up in Paterson, New Jersey, and attended Columbia University. Here he met fellow Beat poets Jack Kerouac and William S. Burroughs. His work 'Howl' (1956) became one of the most famous poems of the 20th century, celebrated for its raw and intense depiction of the human condition and critique of modern society. Ginsberg continued to be an influential poet and activist throughout his life, engaging in political activism and advocating for free speech and LGBTQ+ rights. He was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters and received numerous honors including a National Book Award for Poetry.