OH 1292 | Oral History

OH 1292

His experiences in the counterculture of Dallas, Texas, in the 1960s and his role in the founding of Notes from the Underground. Undergraduate years at Southern Methodist University; origins of Notes From the Underground; opposition by the SMU administration; clandestine printing of Notes at a Texas Instruments facility; conservatism in Dallas during the 1960s; comments about the co-founder of Notes, Bartee Haile; financing and distributing Notes; role of Brent Stein [a.k.a. “Stoney Burns”] in operations of Notes; decision to leave Notes and later found Iconoclast; harassment by Dallas authorities; attempt by SMU to bribe Baker with a diploma without having met university requirements if he would move Notes off-campus; his relationship with “Stoney Burns”; comments about journalistic ethics and responsibilities; abortion counseling in Notes; relationship with local police; reaction of the local mainstream press to Notes; effect of Notes on SMU; providing a writing outlet through Notes for mainstream reporters; influence of Notes on the mainstream press; relationship of Notes and the Dallas gay community; his falling out with “Stoney Burns”; his leaving Notes and founding the Dallas News, 1970; his activities with the Dallas counter-culture; business and fiscal operations of Notes; Notes’s relationship with the African-American community; changing the name of Dallas News to Iconoclast; operations of Iconoclast; his views on the contributions and influence of Notes and Iconoclast.

About this Oral History

Physical Description 172 pp
Terms of Use Open
Interviewer(s) Bonnie Lovell
Date of Interview October 29, 1998 to October 30, 1998

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