Lori Trahan, senators introduce congressional resolution to honor Jack Kerouac

By Jacob Vitali

LOWELL — Jack Kerouac was born March 12, 1922, and Lowell’s native son would go on to inspire the Beat Generation.

To officially mark the life and legacy of Kerouac’s work, three federal lawmakers are introducing a resolution to remember Kerouac in advance of his 100th birthday on Saturday. U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Third, of Westford, will shepherd the resolution in the House. Democrat Sens. Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren will sponsor the resolution in the Senate.

In an interview Wednesday, Trahan said the Mill City can be seen throughout Kerouac’s writings. She recalls Kerouac’s description of the St. Jean Baptiste Church as “the ponderous chartreuse cathedral of the slums.”

Located on Merrimack Street, St. Jean Baptiste Church is where Kerouac attended Mass as a child and where his funeral was held in 1969. The site is now eyed as the location for a museum celebrating Kerouac.

As a student at Lowell High School, Trahan remembers her first introduction to Kerouac’s work. She said his writing started with how he viewed the world around him and how a large part of his identity was centered around Lowell.

Kerouac was the son of French-Canadian immigrants, his father born into a family of potato farmers. Historians at UMass Lowell estimate 31,000 French-Canadian immigrants came to Lowell to work in the textile mills between 1860 and 1890.

Farmers in Canada had no roads to get produce to market, the British royal family owned much of the farmland, existing farms were divided and salaries in the factories were lower than in the United States.

“He carried his accent with them into his late teens. He would go on to not only serve our country during World War II, but also hone his skills as a prolific novelist that would eventually lead to his leadership of the Beat Generation movement,” Trahan said. “I think like previous efforts to commemorate his many contributions, this resolution is as much about honoring Jack Kerouac on what would be his 100th birthday as it is about honoring our city and our community.”

For Markey, the Kerouac resolution is important because it recognizes the “cultural force” the author was.

“Massachusetts has always been at the forefront of the social and literary movements of our time, and as leader of the Beat Generation literary movement, Jack Kerouac is one of our most shining examples. His influence reaches from his hometown of Lowell, Mass. around the globe, and I’m proud to join Congresswoman Trahan and Sen. Warren in honoring his legacy,” Markey said in a statement.

After dropping out of Columbia University, where he played on a football scholarship, Kerouac would briefly cover sports for The Sun in 1941. He would go on to serve as a Merchant Marine during World War II, receiving an honorable discharge.

In a statement, Warren highlighted Kerouac’s military service and how his work inspired a movement.

“Jack Kerouac bravely served our nation during World War II and helped ignite a literary and social movement through his work, and he never lost touch of his local Lowell, Mass. roots,” Warren said. “I’m glad to support this resolution with Congresswoman Lori Trahan and Sen. Markey for his 100th birthday.”

The call for a congressional resolution builds on the lawmakers’ efforts last year to create a commemorative Kerouac stamp. The stamp is currently under review by the U.S. Postal Service’s Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee.

Additionally, the resolution comes as a year of events celebrating Kerouac take place, hosted by the Jack Kerouac Estate and Kerouac @ 100 Committee.

“Visions of Kerouac” opens March 18 at the Boott Cotton Mills Gallery and will be open from noon to 5 p.m. daily through April 15.

The exhibit sees the return of the 120-foot, original scroll of Kerouac’s novel “On the Road” to Lowell. According to his estate, the scroll is “one of the most extraordinary and highly valued manuscripts in American literary history.” The scroll will be on loan from Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay’s private collection of Americana relics.