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'''''Avatar''''' was an [[United States|American]] [[underground newspaper]] published in [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]] in 1967-68. The newspaper's first issues were published from the headquarters of ''[[Broadside Magazine|Broadside]]'' magazine in [[Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.harveysilverglate.com/AvatarBostonMagazine/tabid/331/Default.aspx | title = Incident in Harvard Square | publisher = Boston Magazine | date = January 1968 | accessdate = 2009-07-25}}</ref> The paper was initially started by a varied group of people from different parts of the Boston countercultural scene, but quickly came to be dominated by the Fort Hill Commune led by [[Mel Lyman]], a banjo-playing folk musician turned acid guru who led a hippie cult known as The Lyman Family.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=3rjD6rnCyJUC&pg=PA333&lpg=PA333&dq=avatar+underground-newspaper&source=bl&ots=tYWY4E0sEP&sig=fMoUcZcgYJiH0GaEDDsoAhL_g6A&hl=en&ei=T7NrStXOFoPANaaoiPkG&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=15 | last = Vrabel | first = Jim | title = When in Boston | publisher = Bostonian Society | pages = 415 | year = 2004 | accessdate = 2009-07-25}}</ref> During its brief existence ''Avatar'' was considered one of the best underground papers in the country, largely for its excellent layout, printing and design. Toward the end of its run 6 issues (nos. 18-23) were published in large newspaper format, with a tabloid size magazine insert. |
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| image =avatar v1 n1 cover.jpg |
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| type =Biweekly [[Underground press|underground]] newspaper |
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| format = newspaper |
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| foundation = June 9, 1967 |
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| ceased publication = April 26, 1968 |
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| price = |
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| owners = |
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| publisher = Trust Incorporated |
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| editor = Brian Keating (issues 6 to 21) |
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| language =[[English language|English]] |
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| political = |
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| circulation = |
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| headquarters = [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]] |
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}} |
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'''''Avatar''''' was an American [[underground newspaper]] published in [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]], in 1967–1968. The newspaper's first issues were published from the headquarters of ''Broadside'' magazine in [[Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.harveysilverglate.com/AvatarBostonMagazine/tabid/331/Default.aspx |title=Incident in Harvard Square |publisher=Boston Magazine |date=January 1968 |access-date=2009-07-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711145715/http://www.harveysilverglate.com/AvatarBostonMagazine/tabid/331/Default.aspx |archive-date=2011-07-11 }}</ref> |
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== Publication history == |
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Mel Lyman's group dominated the paper from the start by packing staff meetings with their supporters and winning any issue that came to a vote, and the contents of the paper included large amounts of writing by and about Mel Lyman in his role as self-appointed world savior. Over time disputes between the Fort Hill Commune and other factions involved in putting out the paper led to a violent split which killed the paper. A total of 24 issues were printed bi-weekly from June 9, 1967, through April 26, 1968.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=vYvL4yFI2AQC&pg=PA676&lpg=PA676&dq=avatar+underground-newspaper&source=bl&ots=5gFknQbkH9&sig=2Kwv3uDebfbbVX3HmM_MXmT8hoU&hl=en&ei=0LxrSo6ZEojSMtmF8fgG&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=26 | last = McCleary | first = John Bassett | title = Hippie Dictionary | publisher = Ten Speed Press | page = 676 | date = | isbn = 978-1-58008-547-2 | accessdate = 2009-07-25}}</ref> In "My Odyssey Through the Underground Press," Michael Kindman wrote: "Issue Number 24 was a kind of declaration of spiritual war by Mel on the others who felt they had some claim to the paper."<ref>''Voices from the Underground'' ed. Ken Wachsberger (1993).</ref> A 25th issue dated May 9, 1968 was printed by the opposition faction, but all but 1000 copies of the 45,000 copy press run were stolen and destroyed by angry members of the Fort Hill Commune. |
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''Avatar'' was started by a varied group of people from different parts of the Boston [[countercultural]] scene, but quickly came to be dominated by [[Mel Lyman]]'s group, the Fort Hill Community (or Lyman Family), which Lyman had formed over some years in Boston and Cambridge, and which has been variously described as a commune, family, or cult.<ref>{{cite book | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=3rjD6rnCyJUC&q=avatar+underground-newspaper&pg=PA333 | last = Vrabel | first = Jim | title = When in Boston | publisher = Bostonian Society | pages = 415 | year = 2004 | isbn = 9781555536213 | access-date = 2009-07-25}}</ref><ref>[http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2011/03/the-mel-lyman-personality-cult-revisited.html "The Mel Lyman Personality Cult Revisited" by Kliph Nesteroff]</ref> |
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Over time, disputes between the Fort Hill Community and other factions involved in putting out the paper led to an irreconcilable split, which ended that cycle of the paper.<ref name="felton">David Felton, "The Lyman Family's Holy Siege of America". Originally appeared in ''Rolling Stone'' 98, Dec. 23, 1971, pp. 40-60, and ''Rolling Stone'' 99, Jan. 6, 1972, pp. 40-60. Reprinted in ''Mindfuckers: A Source Book on the Rise of Acid Fascism in America'', David Felton, ed. (San Francisco: Straight Arrow, 1972) and [http://www.trussel.com/lyman/melmind.htm reprinted in its entirety] in [http://www.trussel.com/f_mel.htm Steve Trussel's Mel Lyman archive].</ref> |
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There were three brief-lived spinoffs including a New York City edition loyal to Mel Lyman called ''New York Avatar'', edited by Brian Keating out of a Soho loft and featuring contributions by [[Paul Williams (Crawdaddy! creator)|Paul Williams]] and [[Peter Stafford]] of ''[[Crawdaddy!| Crawdaddy]]'' magazine and underground cartoonist [[Mad Peck|The Mad Peck]]. ''New York Avatar'' published 7 issues, with a print run of 7500 copies, between March 29 and August 1968. A reorganized ''Boston Avatar'' (also known as ''Avatar Vol. II''), edited by Dave Wilson of ''Broadside'' magazine and produced by the opposition faction, published 6 issues between July and August of 1968. A beautifully printed tabloid magazine version called ''American Avatar'' ran for four issues under the direction of Mel Lyman from October 1968 to Summer 1969. |
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A total of 24 issues were printed bi-weekly from June 9, 1967, through April 26, 1968.<ref>{{cite book | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=vYvL4yFI2AQC&q=avatar+underground-newspaper&pg=PA676 | last = McCleary | first = John Bassett | title = Hippie Dictionary | year = 2004 | publisher = Ten Speed Press | page = 676 | isbn = 978-1-58008-547-2 | access-date = 2009-07-25}}</ref> Toward the end of its run, six issues (nos. 18–23) were published in large-size [[broadsheet]] newspaper format, with a tabloid size magazine insert. A 25th issue, dated May 9, 1968, was assembled and printed by the non-Fort Hill faction, but all but 500 copies of the 35,000-copy press run were sequestered and disposed of by the Fort Hill faction.<ref name="felton" /> Michael Kindman, founder of the East Lansing underground newspaper ''[[The Paper (American newspaper)|The Paper]]'', briefly worked on ''Avatar'' and remained with the group for five years. He later wrote of his experiences, including his participation in the theft, in his book ''My Odyssey Through the Underground Press''.<ref name="kindman">Michael Kindman, ''[http://www.trussel.com/lyman/melpress.htm My Journey Through the Underground Press]''. In Ken Wachsberger, ed., ''Voices from the Underground: Insider Histories of the Vietnam Era Underground Press'' Vol. 1, pp. 369-478. Mica Press 1993, and Michigan State University Press, June 1, 2011. The chapters from this book describing Kindman's Fort Hill experience are reprinted at [https://www.trussel.com/lyman/melpress.htm Steve Trussel's Mel Lyman archive].</ref> |
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==Notes== |
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{{reflist}} |
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== |
== Spin-offs == |
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There were three short-lived spinoffs of ''Avatar'': |
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*[http://www.trussel.com/lyman/avatar/avatar.htm Avatar] from A Chronological Collection of Works by and about Mel Lyman and the Lyman Family. |
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* ''New York Avatar'' (7 issues, March 29 – August 1968) — edited by Brian Keating out of a [[SoHo, Manhattan|SoHo]] loft and featuring contributions by [[Paul Williams (music journalist)|Paul Williams]] and [[Peter Stafford]] of ''[[Crawdaddy!|Crawdaddy]]'' magazine and underground cartoonist [[Mad Peck|The Mad Peck]]. Print run of 7,500. |
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*[http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=500065 "Judge Convicts Two in Avatar Trial: 'What Justifies Words Like These?'"] ''[[Harvard Crimson]]'', December 09, 1967. |
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* ''Boston Avatar'' a.k.a. ''Avatar Vol. II'' (6 issues, July – August 1968) — edited by Dave Wilson of ''Broadside'' magazine who had also edited editions 1 to 5 of ''Avatar'' |
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* ''American Avatar'' (4 issues, October 1968 – Summer 1969) - published by the Fort Hill faction |
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==See also== |
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{{Portal|Journalism}} |
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* [[List of underground newspapers of the 1960s counterculture]] |
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==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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{{Newspapers in Massachusetts}} |
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[[Category:Underground press]] |
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Latest revision as of 17:59, 2 August 2023
 Cover of the first issue of Avatar (1967) | |
| Type | Biweekly underground newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | newspaper |
| Publisher | Trust Incorporated |
| Editor | Brian Keating (issues 6 to 21) |
| Founded | June 9, 1967 |
| Language | English |
| Ceased publication | April 26, 1968 |
| Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts |
Avatar was an American underground newspaper published in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1967–1968. The newspaper's first issues were published from the headquarters of Broadside magazine in Cambridge.[1]
Publication history
[edit]Avatar was started by a varied group of people from different parts of the Boston countercultural scene, but quickly came to be dominated by Mel Lyman's group, the Fort Hill Community (or Lyman Family), which Lyman had formed over some years in Boston and Cambridge, and which has been variously described as a commune, family, or cult.[2][3]
Over time, disputes between the Fort Hill Community and other factions involved in putting out the paper led to an irreconcilable split, which ended that cycle of the paper.[4]
A total of 24 issues were printed bi-weekly from June 9, 1967, through April 26, 1968.[5] Toward the end of its run, six issues (nos. 18–23) were published in large-size broadsheet newspaper format, with a tabloid size magazine insert. A 25th issue, dated May 9, 1968, was assembled and printed by the non-Fort Hill faction, but all but 500 copies of the 35,000-copy press run were sequestered and disposed of by the Fort Hill faction.[4] Michael Kindman, founder of the East Lansing underground newspaper The Paper, briefly worked on Avatar and remained with the group for five years. He later wrote of his experiences, including his participation in the theft, in his book My Odyssey Through the Underground Press.[6]
Spin-offs
[edit]There were three short-lived spinoffs of Avatar:
- New York Avatar (7 issues, March 29 – August 1968) — edited by Brian Keating out of a SoHo loft and featuring contributions by Paul Williams and Peter Stafford of Crawdaddy magazine and underground cartoonist The Mad Peck. Print run of 7,500.
- Boston Avatar a.k.a. Avatar Vol. II (6 issues, July – August 1968) — edited by Dave Wilson of Broadside magazine who had also edited editions 1 to 5 of Avatar
- American Avatar (4 issues, October 1968 – Summer 1969) - published by the Fort Hill faction
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ "Incident in Harvard Square". Boston Magazine. January 1968. Archived from the original on 2011-07-11. Retrieved 2009-07-25.
- ^ Vrabel, Jim (2004). When in Boston. Bostonian Society. p. 415. ISBN 9781555536213. Retrieved 2009-07-25.
- ^ "The Mel Lyman Personality Cult Revisited" by Kliph Nesteroff
- ^ a b David Felton, "The Lyman Family's Holy Siege of America". Originally appeared in Rolling Stone 98, Dec. 23, 1971, pp. 40-60, and Rolling Stone 99, Jan. 6, 1972, pp. 40-60. Reprinted in Mindfuckers: A Source Book on the Rise of Acid Fascism in America, David Felton, ed. (San Francisco: Straight Arrow, 1972) and reprinted in its entirety in Steve Trussel's Mel Lyman archive.
- ^ McCleary, John Bassett (2004). Hippie Dictionary. Ten Speed Press. p. 676. ISBN 978-1-58008-547-2. Retrieved 2009-07-25.
- ^ Michael Kindman, My Journey Through the Underground Press. In Ken Wachsberger, ed., Voices from the Underground: Insider Histories of the Vietnam Era Underground Press Vol. 1, pp. 369-478. Mica Press 1993, and Michigan State University Press, June 1, 2011. The chapters from this book describing Kindman's Fort Hill experience are reprinted at Steve Trussel's Mel Lyman archive.