by Carmen Guererra
San Francisco flowers are symbolic of the city's long history of pop culture. Traditions of freedom of expression, counterculture demonstrations, and deep political ties are very strong. Even today, the city is a magnet for free-thinkers, artists, and those seeking to find their place in the world.
The 1960s and the Summer of Love
The 1960s was a conflicting time for America and much of the world. The Hippie movement first laid down its roots following World War II. San Francisco became a center of this counterculture movement. It established itself as a haven of rock music, beat literature, and alternative thinking.
The contrast between Leonardo and Michelangelo is an allegory of the arts of modern times. Leonardo left copious notes of his observations on nature and the world around him, but little about his feelings or his inner life. Michelangelo, in his letters, his poetry, in biographies by his friends and students Vasari and Condivi, in conversations with francisco de Hollanda and others, left us vivid revelations and eloquent chronicles of himself. Leonardo, the self-styled “disciple of experience,” was a hero of the effort to re-create the world from the shapes and forms and sensations out there. But Michelangelo, prophet of the sovereign self, found mysterious resources within. These two greatest figures of Italian Renaissance art dramatized a modern movement from craftsman to artist. If Leonardo could be called the Aristotle—practical-minded organizer and surveyor of experience—Michelangelo would be the Plato, seeker after the perfect idea.
—Daniel J. Boorstin (b. 1914)
Thousands of young people swarmed to the streets lined with flowers to take part in political and artistic gatherings. Musician Scott McKenzie released the song "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)" in May of 1967. It quickly became an anthem for that Summer of Love. The lyrics celebrate the city as a place of freedom and a call upon others to join in with flowers in their hair.
That summer, people gathered in the streets to dance and love. McKenzie's San Francisco Flowers song was heard all over the city. The Haight-Ashbury district was crowded with revelers who wanted America, and the rest of the world, to hear their voices. Drug use was rampant during this time and iconic musicians like Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix performed on the streets for packed crowds.
Today
The Summer of Love may have ended in 1967, but the message of San Francisco flowers is still alive today. The city is a haven of art, culture, and political activism. Thankfully, the rampant drug use of that famous summer is no longer the case. While SF is certainly a destination for artists and activists, it's also a great family vacation spot.
Today, San francisco has experienced a double tragedy of incredible proportions. As acting mayor, I order an immediate state of mourning in our city. The city and county of San francisco must and will pull itself together at this time. We will carry on as best as we possibly can.... I think we all have to share the same sense of shame and the same sense of outrage.
—Dianne Feinstein (b. 1933)
The city's appreciation of the arts takes form in the many museums and independent theaters. It is still a great place for live music and you can always find bars and clubs with live independent bands. San Francisco flowers have also taken on a more literal meaning as the city is home to numerous gardens and beautiful flower shops.
A Center of Gay Rights
The spirit of freedom related to San Francisco flowers has evolved to make SF a place of gay rights activism. As early as the 1960s, people flocked to the Bay Area because of its reputation as a safe place for gays and lesbians. The Castro neighborhood, once home of the first openly gay elected official Harvey Milk, still enjoys a strong connection to the gay community. SF remains a city where people are embraced regardless of their sexual orientation.
In 2009, Mayor Gavin Newsom ordered same-sex marriage legal in San Francisco. Though the Supreme Court of California later thwarted his efforts and annulled the marriages, the city gained national attention as a front-runner of the gay rights movement. San Francisco flowers are a symbol of the best that the city has to offer: a sense of freedom and beauty. The Bay Area is waiting for you! Carmen Guererra is the owner of http://SanFranciscoFogs.com. Visit our website, http://sanfranciscofogs.com/san-francisco-flowers/, for more information, news, and package deals for your California vacation!