Ferlinghetti received his Eagle in the 1930s. He is an American poet, painter, liberal activist, author, and publisher. He was born in Yonkers, New York, in 1919.
Ferlinghetti’s childhood was far from ideal. His father died before Lawrence was born, and his mother was committed to an insane asylum when he was a baby. So, he was raised by his Aunt. To add to the challenge of growing up without parents, Lawrence also lived in an orphanage briefly while his aunt looked for work.
He overcame these adversities and stayed in Scouting. He received his Eagle in the 1930s and attended the University of North Carolina. After college, he joined the Navy, served during World War II, and completed his master’s degree on the GI Bill.
He moved to San Francisco in 1953 and taught French. But he was also a painter, a poet, and a liberal activist. So, he followed his passion and opened a bookstore called City Lights Bookstore. Ferlinghetti’s most famous book was “A Coney Island of the Mind,” But he published dozens more. He also started publishing to help other struggling poets and writers.