My late husband worked at the Howard Quinn Co. in San Francisco, Ca from 1964 to 1973 which printed the underground newspaper The Berkeley Barb.  He collected the paper and kept them stored in a chest which was not opened until just recently.

This was a period in history after John F. Kennedy was assassinated that freedom of the press was not what it is today.  The newspapers would not report on any controversial issues in this country, including counterculture and political activism.  With voices needing to be heard these groups formed underground newspapers and began to report these stories.

There were well over 100 underground newspapers in the U.S. The Berkeley Barb was only one that reported on the controversy of the day, minority rights, student rights, women’s rights, antiwar activities, Black power movement,  Black Panther Party, the peace and freedom movement, sexual freedom, gay rights, drugs, hippies, civil rights movement, the Vietnam war, Watergate to name a few.

This was a new form of journalism, as you will see the colors that were used, the text, the ads and even the page lay-out, was very unique. The paper will give you an idea of what was happening in our country over 40 years ago to bring us as a nation to where we are today. This item is a collectors item and has not lost any value in over 35 years that I have owned it.