John Yurechko was born in the coal mining region near Hazleton, Pennsylvania. He went to graduate school at the University of California, Berkeley, earning an MA and PhD in history...view moreJohn Yurechko was born in the coal mining region near Hazleton, Pennsylvania. He went to graduate school at the University of California, Berkeley, earning an MA and PhD in history. He became one of the founding members of the Berkeley Poets’ Commune. He is married and has three daughters.view less