權力歸花兒起源於加利福尼亞州柏克萊,是反越南戰爭運動的一個象徵。1965年11月,艾倫·金斯堡發表了以「如何能有進展或景象」(How to Make a March/Spectacle)為題的文章,他提出示威者應將「群眾的花兒」(Masses of flowers)給予警察、傳媒、政治家和旁觀者[8]。使用花兒、玩具、旗幟、糖果和音樂等道具是為了把原本的反戰集會形式轉為以街頭劇場(英语:Street theater)的模式來展現,從而減少恐懼、憤怒和威脅等與抗議一脈相承的因素[9]。特別是,艾倫·金斯堡希望對付支持戰爭,並且威脅要暴力破壞在柏克萊加州大學所舉辦的反戰示威的地獄天使摩托車團的「幽靈」[10]。艾倫·金斯堡的方法使抗議受到積極的關注,並且讓權力歸花兒成為反文化運動不可或缺的標誌[11]。
1966年後期,權力歸花兒以街頭流動戲劇(英语:Guerilla theater)形式已經從加利褔尼亞蔓延至美國其他地區。麵包和木偶劇團(英语:Bread and Puppet Theater)在紐約市舉行的多次抗議活動中派發氣球和鮮花連同他們的反戰文學[12]。《非暴力工作坊》(Workshop in Nonviolence)是一本由紐約活動(New York activists)出版的雜誌,鼓勵使用權力歸花兒這口號。1967年5月,阿比·霍夫曼組織了花兒團,作為紐約市歌頌在越南的士兵的遊行的一支正式隊伍。新聞報導拍攝到,手持花兒、旗幟和印有LOVE字樣的粉紅色海報的花兒團成員遭到旁觀者的襲擊和毆打[12]。為了向暴力行為作出回應,阿比·霍夫曼在《非暴力工作坊》中寫道:「計劃在東河種植水仙花。將連串蒲公英圍住就職中心...「權力 歸花兒這口號」引起了全國的回響。我們是不會枯萎的。」
^(英文)Stuart Hall, "The Hippies: An American Moment" published in Ann Gray (Ed.), CCCS Selected Working Papers, Routledge, (December 20, 2007), p.155 ISBN 0-415-32441-6
^(英文)Chatarji, Subarno, Memories of a Lost War: American Poetic Responses to the Vietnam War, Oxford University Press, 2001, p.42 ISBN 0-19-924711-0
^(英文)"Allen Ginsburg" (页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆), American Masters, Public Broadcasting System, pbs.org, retrieved 30-04-2009
^(英文) "Guide to the Allen Ginsberg Papers: Biography/Administrative History", The Online Archive of California, Stanford University, 2009
^(英文)Rennay Craats, History of the 1960s, Weigl Publishers Inc., 2001, p.36 ISBN 1-930954-29-8
^(英文)Heilig, S., "The Brotherhood of Eternal Love-From Flower Power to Hippie Mafia: The Story of LSD Counterculture", Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 2007, Vol 39; No 3, pages 307-308
^(英文)Ginsberg, Allen, "Demonstration or Spectacle as Example, As Communication, or How to Make a March/Spectacle", Berkeley Barb, November 19, 1965, republished in The Portable Sixties Reader, Ann Charles (Ed.), Penguin Classic, 2002, p.208-212 ISBN 978-0-14-200194-3
^(英文)Lewis Hyde, On the poetry of Allen Ginsberg, University of Michigan Press (January 1, 1985), p264 , ISBN 0-472-06353-7
^(英文)William Lawlor, Beat culture: lifestyles, icons, and impact, ABC-CLIO (2005), p.126 ISBN 1-85109-400-8
^ 12.012.112.2(英文)Marty Jezer, Abbie Hoffman: American Rebel, p.115
^(英文)Richard M. Freid, The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!: Pageantry and Patriotism in Cold-War America, Oxford University Press, (1999), p.141, ISBN 0-19-513417-6
^(英文)James J. Farrell, The Spirit of the Sixties: The Making of Postwar Radicalism, Routledge, 1997, p.223
^(英文)Carlito Rivera, "The 1967 March on the Pentagon and lessons for today" , Socialism and Liberation Magazine, March 2007, retrieved 26-09-2009
Stuart Hall, "The Hippies: an American 'moment'", CCCS selected working papers, Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies, Routledge, 2007, ISBN 0-415-32441-6