Dear CCA Community,

It is with great sadness that I write to share that Michael McClure, a longtime CCA faculty member, passed away on Monday, May 4, at age 87. Michael died at home in Oakland from complications related to a stroke he suffered last spring.

Michael was a beloved fixture at CCA for many years and he was a profound influence on generations of students and faculty colleagues. He joined the faculty in 1963 and taught here for 43 years until 2006, then the longest-tenured professor at the school. He received an honorary doctorate from CCA in 2005. 

In 1955, at age 22, Michael gave his first public poetry reading at the legendary Six Gallery event in San Francisco, where Allen Ginsberg first read Howl. The reading is often cited as marking the birth of the Beat Generation and the emergence of the San Francisco Renaissance. 

His 60-plus-year career as a poet, playwright, and songwriter leaves indelible marks in both the literary and popular culture worlds. Once referred to by the Los Angeles Times as “the role model for Jim Morrison,” Michael wrote numerous collections of poetry, eight books of plays, and four collections of essays, in addition to accumulating many prestigious awards and honors throughout his career. An obituary for Michael appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle this week. 

When I arrived at CCA more than twenty years ago, Michael was one of the first to welcome me. He remained a generous friend and advisor to me throughout the years we worked together and we stayed in close touch after his retirement from teaching. On behalf of the college, I extend my deepest condolences to Michael’s wife Amy, his daughter Jane and her family, and his many treasured colleagues and friends in the CCA community and beyond. 

A memorial service is being planned for the fall, and we will follow up with information when we know more. 

Sincerely,

Stephen Beal, President