San Francisco Oracle: Vol. 1, No. 1, Sept. 20, 1966 de Brownson, John, George Tsongas (eds.) with Allen Cohen, Michael Bowen, Phil Normand, et al - 1966

San Francisco: Oracle Co-operative Publishing Co, 1966. Newspaper. 12p., folded tabloid, illus., very lightly and evenly tanned, very good bordering on fine. First issue of the famous underground paper at ground zero of the Haight-Ashbury counter-cultural explosion. This pre-dates the color-drenched psychedelicized issues, though the cultural preoccupations are there in rudimentary form. Cover story is a report by Allen Cohen on a community dialogue between 120 local citizens and "two plainclothes of the Police Community Relations Unit" at the I/and Thou Coffee House the week before. Inside: a review of Michael McClure's play "The Beard", with letters from Allen Ginsberg, Norman Mailer, and Robert Creeley in support of the controversial play. Also: profile of McClure by editor Brownson. Obituary for George Ohsawa (founder of the Macrobiotic movement) by Marsha Thelin, full-page collage by Michael Bowen, article about Peter Berg's "Search and Seizure" drama by Ken Minault of the S.F. Mime Troupe, and a meditation on Rock by David Harris of the Mojo Navigator rock zine. Back cover features a semi-coherent "Prophecy of a Declaration of Independence" along with an annoucement of a political action to happen on Oct. 6, "the date the California law prohibiting the possession of LSD comes into effect.