This week we’re diving into zine history.
Zines amplify marginalized voices & stories excluded from conventional publishing, challenge authority, and provide egalitarian channels for creative expression and alternative community building.
Though often dated to the sci-fi fanzines of 1930s, some argue that zine history originated in the context of early printing in the 16th century with Martin Luther’s self-published 95 Theses. Given Luther’s use of vernacular, critiques of established ideologies, and use of pamphleteering to spread his message, we tend to agree! Following suit overseas, the cheaply produced broadsides of the 18th century American Revolution were quickly disseminated to influence public opinion.
In the 1920s artists in Europe produced radical journals and periodicals which spread the ideas of Surrealist and Dada movements and critique of bourgeoise culture. In the 30s sci-fi fanzines provided platforms for fan content and dialogue. The Beat poets produced low-cost mimeographed chapbooks and broadsides in the 40s & 50s, challenging the censorial nature of American society with writing on civil rights, the anti-war movement, environmentalism, and free love.
During the same period the Soviet Union DIY (aka Samizdat) movement, in which Eastern Bloc activists reproduced and distributed state censored publications by hand (often on typewriters), emerged. Xerography became popularly available in the 60s and low-cost offset printing and the electric typewriter were introduced, spurring the rise of underground comix & alternative newspapers.
Punk zines appeared in the 70s, followed by the DIY movement and the indie music scene. In the 80s copy machines became ubiquitous, and in the 90s the Riot Grrrl underground punk movement and rise of third wave feminism produced a slew of new publications.
Because forms of zine production have proliferated in various contexts throughout printing history, even a Western-centric overview was hard to capture succinctly. Stay tuned for more in future posts!
Dada germanico. Gabriele Mazzota editore, Milan, 1970. Facsimile edition of 1920 original.
from Disputatio D. Martini Luther theologi, pro declaratione virtutis indulgentiarum, a bound edition of Martin Luther's 95 Theses. Adam Petri, Basel, 1517.
How industrial unionism was won : the great Flint sit-down strike against General Motors, 1936-1937. Progressive Labor Party, Brooklyn, NY.
Prose contribution to Cuban revolution. Allen Ginsberg. Artists' Workshop Press, Detroit, 1966.
Russian samizdat and photo negatives of unofficial literature in the USSR. Moscow. Wikimedia Commons.
The Bunch's power pak comics. Aline Kominsky-Crumb. Kitchen Sink Enterprises, Princeton, WI, 1979.
Plunger. Alison. Team Plunge, New York, NY. Dec. 1994.
FAT! SO?. Marilyn Wann. San Francisco, CA. no.4 1995.
Angry black-white girl : reflections on my mixed race identity. Nia Diaspora. Publication year unknown (between 2000-2009).
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--Ana, Special Collections Graduate Intern
