Patti Smith
December 30, 1946 – present

Musician, Poet, Writer, Artist, and Activist
Often called the “Punk Poet Laureate,” Smith is indelibly connected to the Village, where she developed and performed a mixture of punk rock and beat poetry. She gave her first public reading of poetry in 1971 at St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, 131 East 10th Street.

Narrated by Chris Robertson
Music by Patti Smith: “Because the Night”; “When Doves Cry,” cover of the song by Prince; and “People Have the Power,” recorded at the 2019 Democracy Is Coming event with Stewart Copeland, The Public Theater, Choir! Choir! Choir!, and hundreds of Villagers