This site presents a private collection of primary source materials from the Haight-Ashbury counterculture of 1966–1972 — handbills, newsletters, posters, and ephemera produced and distributed, often for free, at the epicenter of one of the most significant cultural movements in American history. The collection encompasses works from the Diggers, the Communication Company, Kaliflower and related artists, organizations and individuals active during this extraordinary period.
A Few Treasures from the Collection
Opening of the
Psychedelic Shop, 1966
The Human Be-In
January 1967
“A Moving Target
is Hard to Hit”, 1967
Tim Leary Benefit
June 1966
Sopwith Camel, Big Brother and the Holding Company & the Grateful Dead
These are just five of over 700 items in the collection. Explore the full catalogue →
On the Value of Original Artifacts
“It’s been my experience, not only personally, to observe that when students are given the opportunity to physically handle and study original source material, there’s some sort of magic that happens; different connections are made, and a greater depth of understanding is achieved when working directly with real historical artifacts — which books and manuscripts are — rather than digital facsimiles, surrogates, or modern reprints.”
— Michael Lang ’67, Hamilton College, Teaching Tools
The Collection
Handbills, Newsletters & Ephemera
Over 700 primary source documents from the Haight-Ashbury, 1959–2001, including Communication Company sheets, Digger broadsides, event announcements, and street literature.
A near-complete run of the San Francisco communal newsletter, 1969–1972, hand-bound in the Japanese style with original artwork on every cover.
Handbills and posters from the Free City Collective, 1968–1976, documenting the Diggers’ evolution beyond the Summer of Love.
East Totem West OverPrint Posters
A selection of overprint concert posters from East Totem West, among the most visually striking artifacts of the psychedelic poster movement.
Loans & Availability
The majority of this collection is available for short-term loan to qualified individuals, educational institutions, museums, historical societies, and libraries for study, exhibition, and research. It has been my experience — and the experience of others — that working directly with original historical artifacts creates a depth of understanding that no digital reproduction can replicate. If you are interested in bringing these materials to your students, researchers, or visitors, I invite you to make contact.
• Counter Culture Museum, Haight & Ashbury, San Francisco — currently exhibiting selections from this collection
• Carriage Trade Gallery, New York — Everybody Dies!, November 2020 – February 2021