Henry Geiger (August 10, 1908 – 15 February 1989) was the editor, publisher, and chief writer of MANAS Journal which was published from 1948–1988.
He “had been variously a chorus boy on Broadway, a journalist, a conscientious objector in World War II, a commercial printer, and a lecturer at The United Lodge of Theosophists in Los Angeles.” [1] Geiger began work as an actor when he was sixteen and spent three years working with the Theater Guild before becoming a journalist. [2] While working as an actor, he had a small role in the original production of The Garrick Gaieties in 1925. [3] During World War II, Geiger was a conscientious objector and was a member of the Civilian Public Service program. He worked at the CO Camp 76 at Glendora, where he helped found the pacifist newspaper Pacifica Views. [4] The four-page weekly provided pacifists with "a forum for discussing pacifist ideas and methods of applying non-violent action to social reform". [5]
Geiger published the first issue of his journal Manas in January 1948, while he living in Los Angeles. [6] Abraham Maslow called him “the only small ‘p’ philosopher America has produced in this century.” [1] Geiger was also an advocate of Edward Bellamy's type of socialism. [7] Some of Geiger's associates, such as Lewis Hill, would later be involved in the creation of Pacifica Radio. [7]