![[logo: Kansas Heritage Group]](heritage.gif)
The heartland has known the Beat writers from cradle to grave -- Michael McClure and Charles Plymell were born in Kansas, and William S. Burroughs spent his last years and died in Lawrence. In between, Allen Ginsberg and Gary Snyder made significant trips to the state. Other Kansas figures include Bruce Connor, Dennis Hopper, James Mechem, Roxie Powell, Jim McCrary, Wayne Propst, Glenn Todd, Alan Russo, John Fowler, Justin Hein, Bob Branaman, Ronald Johnson, and Burroughs' heir James Grauerholz, to name a few. The karmic connection between Beat figures and Kansas influences the literary communities to this day. George Laughead's website Beats In Kansas was launched in 2002. Sponsored by Humanities Kansas.
Kerry Wynn, Washburn University Map of Kansas Literature Project Director, will spend some time introducing the new map of Kansas authors;
Troy James Weaver, Wichita writer, will give a reading, with brief comments about how the Beats influence his work;
Denise Low, former Poet Laureate Kansas, will talk about Beats in Kansas: The Lawrence-Wichita Magnetic Pole
George Laughead, founder Beats in Kansas website, will give Beat Memoir with Artifacts, Beat life from 1963-2019