March 25

Allen Ginsberg, alleged poet, wrote a book titled Howl. This book established him as an important literary figure. On the 25th in 1955, United States Customs officials seized the book. The nominal justification for the seizure was that the book was obscene. Though Ginsberg was ultimately cleared of the obscenity charges, I firmly believe that had the Customs service taken a little time and had simply read the darn thing, Ginsberg could have been arrested on a felony charge of truly dreadful writing.