Origins & Early Life

Larry Harvey (January 11, 1948 – April 28, 2018) was an American artist, philanthropist and activist. He was the main co-founder of the Burning Man event, along with his friend Jerry James. Born in San Francisco, Harvey grew up in Portland, Oregon, where he was raised in the Parkrose neighborhood. He graduated from Parkrose High School in 1966.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

After high School, he joined the army and served as a clerk stationed in Germany. He later attended Portland State University. Burning Man started in 1986 on the evening of the summer solstice. An effigy of a man was taken to San Francisco's Baker Beach and set on fire. A small crowd gathered and soon the burning of the man became an annual event.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Over the next four years the attendees grew to more than 800 people. In 1990, in collaboration with the SF Cacophony Society, the event moved to the Black Rock Desert, Nevada, and took place over Labor Day weekend. From a three-day, 80-person "zone trip," Burning Man became an eight-day counter culture event with 70,000 participants from all over the world. In 1997, six of the main organizers formed Black Rock City LLC to manage the event, with Harvey as the executive...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abby Aldrich Rockefeller — Contemporary (Died in 1948) (1948): American socialite and influential philanthropist, key patron of modern art.
• Abdulrazak Gurnah — Contemporary (Born in 1948) (1948): Acclaimed Tanzanian novelist and Nobel laureate exploring themes of colonialism and refuge.
• Akira Mutō — Contemporary (Died in 1948) (1948): Imperial Japanese Army General implicated in war crimes during WWII.
• Amos Oz — Contemporary (Died in 2018) (2018): Pioneering Israeli novelist, journalist, and intellectual whose works explored Palestinian life.
• Aretha Franklin — Contemporary (Died in 2018) (2018): The "Queen of Soul," Aretha Franklin defined American music with unparalleled vocal power.
• Atal Bihari Vajpayee — Contemporary (Died in 2018) (2018): Indian statesman and poet, served as Prime Minister of India multiple times.
• Abraham Joshua Heschel — Shared historical date (01-11 · Born) (1907): Leading 20th-century American rabbi, theologian, and philosopher.
• Alan Paton — Shared historical date (01-11 · Born) (1903): Pioneering South African author and fierce anti-apartheid activist.
• Ann-Margret — Shared historical date (04-28 · Born) (1941): Swedish-American actress, dancer, and singer with a seven-decade career.
• António de Oliveira Salazar — Shared historical date (04-28 · Born) (1889): Portuguese academic and economist who established the authoritarian Estado Novo regime.
• 1948 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1948
• January 11 (01-11) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on January 11
• 2018 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2018
• April 28 (04-28) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on April 28