The Documentary Lives of d.a. levy's Buddhist Third Class Junkmail Oracle

ABSTRACT

The poet, artist, and publisher d.a. levy (1942–1968) is a significant figure in the history of the underground press. levy's influence was of particular importance to Cleveland, Ohio, where he lived and worked and was devoted to developing, sustaining, and encouraging alternative publishing. levy's newspaper, The Buddhist Third Class Junkmail Oracle, was an early venue for publishing poetry, art, journalism, and critique. The Oracle also holds a unique genealogical position as Cleveland's first underground newspaper. While the literary and political values of levy's work remain, these have been complemented by archival valuations, as levy has been collected, published, and digitized.

KEYWORDS:

• alternative press
• d.a. levy
• literary archives
• underground newspapers

Notes

1 The most extensive digitized collection of levy material can be found in The Cleveland Memory Project, Michael Schwartz Library's (n.d.), d.a. levy Collection. In addition to copies of the Buddhist Third Class Junkmail Oracle, digitized copies of his poetry, art work, and manuscript materials are made available online. Smith & Swanberg's (2007) d.a. levy & the mimeograph revolution, and Golden's The Buddhist Third Class Junkmail Oracle: The Art and Poetry of d.a. levy (levy & Golden, 1999), offer printed selections from issues of the Oracle. The Oracle has also been microfilmed and is available through UMI's Underground Newspaper Collection.