The Rag was an underground newspaper published in Austin, Texas from 1966–1977. The weekly paper covered political and cultural topics that the conventional press ignored, such as the growing antiwar movement , the sexual revolution , gay liberation , and drug culture. It encouraged these political constituencies and countercultural communities to coalesce into a significant political force in Austin. As the sixth member of the Underground Press Syndicate and the first underground paper in the South, The Rag helped shape a flourishing national underground press.
38-523: According to historian and publisher Paul Buhle , The Rag was "one of the first, the most long-lasting and most influential" of the Sixties underground papers. In his 1972 book, The Paper Revolutionaries , Laurence Leamer called The Rag "one of the few legendary undergrounds." The Rag first hit the streets in Austin on October 10, 1966. Thorne Dreyer and Carol Neiman were the original editors of
76-709: A Rag Authors’ Page . Several Rag vets have reunited in Austin and are once more involved in political activism through the Movement for a Democratic Society ( MDS/Austin ), associated with the newly revived SDS. The Rag Blog is an Internet news magazine with roots in the Sixties underground press and New Left . A digital rebirth of Austin, Texas ' influential underground paper, The Rag , The Rag Blog features commentary on news, politics, and cultural affairs, and many of its contributors are long-time alternative journalists and veterans of Sixties underground journalism. Founded in 2006 by Richard D. Jehn, The Rag Blog
114-536: A web press . It was a real do it yourself operation: copy was set on an IBM Selectric and pasted up, negatives were made and stripped up for plate-making, and inks were mixed to take to the printer. After losing its original printer in 1968, the Seed was printed for a time on the presses of liberal Wisconsin newspaper publisher Bill Schanen, who provided printing services for a large number of Midwestern underground papers that could find no other printer. However,
152-581: A Democratic Society , and more recently a leader of the Movement for a Democratic Society. Buhle was founding editor of the journal Radical America (1967–1999), an unofficial organ of Students for a Democratic Society, founder of Cultural Correspondence (1977–83), a journal of popular culture studies, and founder and director of the Oral History of the American Left archive at New York University in 1976. In Rhode Island , he co-founded
190-488: A media arm of "former Weatherman terrorists," and suggest that it is connected to President Obama through the groups Progressives for Obama and Movement for a Democratic Society (MDS). The right wing KeyWiki has an article on The Rag Blog , with individual links to more than 50 of its contributors. Rag Radio is a weekly public affairs program hosted and produced by Rag Blog editor Thorne Dreyer that features hour-long in-depth interviews with prominent figures in politics and
228-671: A model for many papers that followed. The Rag was credited with being the first underground paper to successfully combine the radical politics of the New Left with the spirit of the burgeoning alternative culture. Abe Peck, editor of the Chicago Seed and author of Uncovering the Sixties: The Life and Times of the Underground Press , wrote that " The Rag was the first independent undergrounder to represent...
266-627: A photographer, who thought it had commercial potential. The Seed was edited for several years by Abe Peck , who started as a staff writer in late 1967. He became editor soon afterward, and led the paper toward the Yippies ( Youth International Party ), a group that planned surrealistic-oriented events for the 1968 Democratic National Convention . Despite a split with Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin over tactics and transparency, Peck and other Seed staffers appeared in Lincoln Park throughout
304-562: A previously unreported and highly controversial strategy for fighting dissension and "extremism" that had originated with Obama friend and appointee Cass Sunstein , writing in a 2008 scholarly journal. The story "went viral," and was then covered by Raw Story , Salon.com , Common Dreams , OpEd News , Daily Kos , and Information Clearing House . The Rag Blog has also been a target of right wing bloggers and conspiracists, including Trevor Loudon , Cliff Kincaid , and WorldNetDaily , who characterize The Rag Blog as "radical leftists" and as
342-531: A primary outlet for the late poet/journalist John Ross ' reporting from Mexico. Other contributors include Roger Baker on economics and transportation, Bruce Melton on climate change and the environment, and retired physician Dr. Stephen R. Keister on health care reform, plus Texas bloggers Ted McLaughlin and Lamar W. Hankins. In January 2010 The Rag Blog broke a story by novelist Marc Estrin titled "Got Fascism? Obama Advisor Promotes 'Cognitive Infiltration'" that "stirred up an Internet storm". The article revealed
380-416: A spirited, quirky, and humorous paper, whose founders pushed the New Left's political agenda even as they embraced the counterculture's zeal for rock music, psychedelics, and personal liberation," and, according to historian Douglas Rossinow, the paper was "enormously important to local activists." The Rag would become virtually indistinguishable from the community it served, helping to coalesce and mobilize
418-482: Is edited by Thorne Webb Dreyer and is published by the New Journalism Project, a Texas 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. It is affiliated with Rag Radio, a weekly public affairs program produced in the studios of KOOP 91.7-FM , a cooperatively run community radio station in Austin. Editor Dreyer was a pioneering Sixties underground journalist who was a founding editor of two of the most important of
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#1732782627574456-928: Is the co-author of four books on the history of the Hollywood Blacklist , and the editor of a series of graphic non-fiction works by American comics artists and writers, among them Harvey Pekar , Sabrina Jones and Sharon Rudahl . He is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America . Buhle taught at the Cambridge-Godard Graduate School, 1971–73, and lectured at the Rhode Island School of Design until accepting an appointment as lecturer in History and American Civilization at Brown University in 1995. In 1982–83, he created an oral history collection at
494-607: The Internet Archive . Paul Buhle Paul Merlyn Buhle (born September 27, 1944) is an American historian, who is (retired) Senior Lecturer at Brown University , author or editor of 35 volumes, including histories of radicalism in the United States and the Caribbean , studies of popular culture, and a series of nonfiction comic art volumes. He is the authorized biographer of C. L. R. James . Buhle
532-559: The Seed remained independent of organizational affiliation. Although the paper was far left-leaning, it was known for its independence and impartiality on left-wing issues, not subscribing to a particular ideology, which was unusual for the time. The Seed grew increasingly radical, however, and Peck left the paper in 1970. The paper was known for its colorful printing, artwork and comix , with Skip Williamson , Jay Lynch , Jim Roslof , Robert Crumb , Karl Heinz-Meschbach, Paul Zmiewski, Peter Solt, and other Sixties artists contributing to
570-715: The Tamiment Library , New York University, the Oral History of the American Left Collection, with associated research on ethnic radicalism. Buhle has served on the Board of The Minnesota Review , as Contributing Editor to Tikkun , and on the editorial advisory board on Radical Americas (an on-line publication of MDS). He has also been a sponsor of New Politics and an adviser on documentary biographies of Howard Zinn , comic artist Will Eisner , and Sacco and Vanzetti , and served as historian for
608-655: The August 1968 demonstrations. Skeets Millard, a young photographer and community organizer who was publishing the Chicago edition of Kaleidoscope , joined the Seed staff in 1969, at a time when all of the original founders were gone and there was no one working on the paper who had been there more than 12 months; Mike Abrahamson was running the paper in Abe Peck's absence. Among the staff writers were Marshall Rosenthal and Eliot Wald . While supporting various movements,
646-638: The Mole, owner of the Mole Hole, a local head shop ) launched the Seed and joined UPS. The paper also later became a subscriber to the Liberation News Service . Lester Dore took over the art direction when Don Lewis moved to New York to work for Screw magazine. Disagreements between Lewis and Segal led to the Seed 's purchase by Harry Dewar, a graphic designer, and Colin Pearlson,
684-622: The Rhode Island Labor History Society, was active in labor history and labor support activities and produced several popular histories of the state's labor movement. He also produced Vanishing Rhode Island , a pictorial history and plea for preservation; and with his students, Underground Rhode Island . He has contributed frequently to the journals and newspapers The Nation , The Village Voice , Monthly Review , Jewish Currents , The Chronicle of Higher Education and The San Francisco Chronicle . Buhle
722-422: The United States for Rag art and photography exhibits, a rousing retro-rock concert, and a series of group discussions. Many former staffers had not been in touch for 35-40 years. The reunion resulted in a renewed alliance among many of the ex-Ragstaffers and birthed a group of websites including The Rag Blog , The Rag archives site , which includes full scans of the early issues, a Rag Reunion site, and
760-582: The War in Vietnam and the movement opposing it, the Civil Rights Movement , the student freedom movement, the development of the New Left and SDS , the psychedelic rock and folk music scenes, and the sixties counterculture movement, of which Austin was a major outpost. It also carried national and world news and opinion from Liberation News Service (LNS) and from other underground newspapers around
798-557: The arts. Rag Radio ' s engineer and co-producer is Tracey Schulz. The show is broadcast every Friday from 2-3 p.m. (Central) on KOOP 91-7 FM, an all-volunteer cooperatively run community radio station in Austin, and is rebroadcast every Sunday at 10 a.m. (Eastern) on WFTE , 90.3-FM in Mt. Cobb, PA, and 105.7-FM in Scranton, PA. Rag Radio is also streamed live, with a widespread Internet following, and all episodes are posted as podcasts at
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#1732782627574836-584: The chapter of Students for a Democratic Society 's antiwar activities. He received a master's degree from the University of Connecticut (in 1967) and a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison (in 1975). He had been active in the civil rights movement in SDS, and a member for some months of the Socialist Labor Party . In 2006–07, he was one of the founding figures of the new Students for
874-560: The country. The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers , Gilbert Shelton 's iconic sixties comic strip, was born in The Rag and, thanks in part to the Underground Press Syndicate , was republished in underground papers and comic books all over the world. Artist Jim Franklin —whose surrealist armadillos helped to place the ugly little armored critters right up there with the longhorn as a symbol of Texas—designed many of
912-606: The environmental and sustainability movements, and other issues of social activism, and also provides original reporting from Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East. The Rag Blog has featured the work of over 150 bloggers, many of whom are veterans of the original Rag and the Sixties underground press and New Left. The editorial core group includes editor Thorne Dreyer, who was the original "Funnel" of The Rag in 1966; Sarito Carol Neiman, who co-edited The Rag and later
950-772: The era's underground newspapers – The Rag in Austin, Texas, and Space City! in Houston , and who also served on the editorial collective of Liberation News Service in New York and managed KPFT , the Pacifica radio station in Houston. In a June 2012 feature article on Austin's leading political bloggers, Culture Map Austin put Thorne Dreyer and The Rag Blog at the top of its list. The Rag Blog features commentary on contemporary politics and culture and has been an original internet source on subjects like Occupy Wall Street,
988-653: The labor movement. As Glenn Scott recalls about the later Rag , one "could not have imagined a more democratic process than a Rag copy meeting. An all-volunteer group of self-taught editors and copy writers debated the sexism and violence in pornography, the corporate influence in utility policies, and the CIA's involvement in Chile. And how much space went to the Free Clinic benefit and the Freak Brothers." Many of
1026-445: The movement in Austin, both as a news source and as a direct agent of change. Thorne Dreyer and Victoria Smith wrote at Liberation News Service in 1969 that "the people who put The Rag together were the same people who conceived demonstrations and love-ins, who were among the leaders of confrontations with local authorities, and who were at the forefront of local cultural gatherings." The Rag featured news coverage and commentary on
1064-531: The national SDS newspaper. Dreyer, Gary Thiher, and Jeff Shero (later known as Jeff Nightbyrd) worked with KPFT-FM , the Pacifica radio station in Houston. Shero started Rat in New York, where he was joined by Alice Embree and Gary Thiher, and later published the alternative Austin Sun . The Rag held a reunion on September 1–4, 2005, which was attended by over 70 former staff members who came in from all over
1102-457: The paper's covers, as did noted cartoonist and artist Kerry Awn . God Nose , a comic strip by Jack Jackson , ran in The Rag . Alan Pogue , now a documentary photographer, was a staff photographer for eight years. Over its lifespan, the paper evolved with the times, for a while becoming one of the strongest voices of the women's liberation movement and later focusing on local politics, covering Austin city government, neighborhood protests, and
1140-448: The paper. (They were called "funnels" in keeping with the paper's democratic structure.) The Rag was closely associated with SDS and played a major role in bringing together the anarchist-leaning New Lefties and Austin's rich countercultural community, helping to merge them into a major political force. Former staffer Alice Embree recalls that " The Rag covered what was not covered by the 'straight' press. The writers participated in
1178-753: The participatory democracy, community organizing and synthesis of politics and culture that the New Left of the mid-sixties was trying to develop." The Austin Chronicle' s Kevin Brass called the paper "a firebrand little troublemaker" that was "a seminal influence in the national underground press movement." Many of the forces behind the founding of The Rag later played major roles in developing other alternative media. Thorne Dreyer worked with Liberation News Service and, along with The Rag' s Dennis and Judy Fitzgerald, started Space City News (later Space City! ) in Houston. Carol Neiman later edited New Left Notes ,
The Rag - Misplaced Pages Continue
1216-444: The political and cultural uprising and also wrote about it. And they told you where to get a chicken dinner for 35 cents." The Rag featured the writing of major New Left figures like Gary Thiher, Jeff Shero, Robert Pardun, and Greg Calvert. It covered the Austin rock scene which was one of the birthplaces of the psychedelic music phenomenon. According to John McMillian, author of the 2011 book Smoking Typewriters , The Rag "was
1254-487: The publication's unique look: "Covers ... favored bold images that told a bigger story instead of everyday photos.... The inside could be just as striking, featuring poster-size pullouts with Day-Glo ink, gradient backgrounds, a wealth of major-label music ads, and intricate drawings". The Seed , along with the San Francisco Oracle , was one of the first tabloid newspapers to use Split-fount inking on
1292-546: The radio series Grandma was an Activist in the 1980s. He is the editor/creator of radical graphic books, including The Young C.L.R. James: A Graphic Novelette and A Full Life: James Connolly the Irish Rebel . Books: Articles: Chicago Seed The Chicago Seed was an underground newspaper published biweekly in Chicago , Illinois from May 1967 to 1974; there were 121 issues published in all. It
1330-625: The underground newspapers met with establishment opposition, harassment, and even legal action. In Austin, the regents at the University of Texas sued The Rag to prevent circulation on campus. David Richards, attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, successfully defended The Rag' s First Amendment rights before the U.S. Supreme Court. The Rag was one of the most influential of the early underground papers and, according to historian John McMillian, it served as
1368-879: Was a major figure in SDS and editor of New Left Notes ; former Rag staffers Mariann Wizard and Alice Embree (who also worked with New York's Rat and was active in the Women's liberation movement ); filmmaker and writer William Michael Hanks; and art director James Retherford, who edited The Spectator , a Sixties underground paper published in Bloomington, Indiana, and was active with the Yippies . Among The Rag Blog' s regular contributors are prominent alternative journalists and activists like Paul Krassner , Robert Jensen , Mike Davis , Harvey Wasserman , Jonah Raskin , Judy Gumbo Albert, Tom Hayden , Carl Davidson , David P. Hamilton, and Harry Targ, and The Rag Blog served as
1406-470: Was born in Champaign, Illinois , on September 27, 1944. His mother was a registered nurse with the maiden name of Pearle Drake. His father, Merlyn Buhle, was a geologist. On December 30, 1963, Paul Buhle married Mari Jo Kupski , who later earned a doctorate in history and co-authored several works with Buhle. Buhle graduated in 1966 from the University of Illinois , where he had been a spokesperson for
1444-677: Was notable for its colorful psychedelic graphics and its eclectic, non-doctrinaire radical politics . Important events covered by Seed writers and artists were the trial of the Chicago Eight , Woodstock , and the murder of Fred Hampton . At its peak, the Seed circulated between 30,000 and 40,000 copies, with national distribution. After attending the March 1967 Underground Press Syndicate (UPS) gathering held in Stinson Beach, California , artist Don Lewis and Earl Segal (a.k.a.
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