Howard Zinn is a professor, political scientist, historian, social critic, activist and playwright. He’s Professor Emeritus in the Political Science Department at Boston University.
Zinn has been active in the movements for civil rights, civil liberties and the anti-war movements in the United States as long as I can remember. He is a genuine hero. Of his 20 or so books, perhaps the best known is “A People's History of the United States.”
Wearing his historian’s hat, Zinn believed that the point of view expressed in traditional history books is from the viewpoint of the rich and powerful. In 1980, he wrote his people’s history as an alternative—depicting the struggles of Native Americans against European and U.S. conquest and expansion, slaves against slavery, unionists and other workers against capitalists, women against patriarchy, and African-Americans for civil rights.
Zinn’s people’s history book is now being used as an alternative to standard textbooks in many high school and college history courses. It has caught on, routinely selling more than 100,000 copies a year.
In 2003, to commemorate the sale of the millionth copy of the people’s history, a dramatic reading was held at the 92nd Street Y in New York City. Major actors read speeches from the history, including Christopher Columbus on the Arawaks; Plough Jogger, a farmer and participant in Shays' Rebellion; Harriet Hanson, a Lowell mill worker; Frederick Douglass; Mark Twain; Mary Harris "Mother" Jones; Emma Goldman; Helen Keller; Eugene V. Debs; Langston Hughes and many more.
In 2004, Zinn published “Voices of A People's History of the United States” with Anthony Arnove. Voices expands on the concept and provides a large collection of dissident voices in long form. Since the reading in 2003, more than 60 productions of “voices” have been done throughout the nation.
Skip to May 13, 2009, and another reading at the 92nd St. Y. After years of requests from parents and teachers for a younger readers' version of the history, Seven Stories Press has published “A Young People's History of the United States”—a two-volume, illustrated adaptation of the original text for young adult readers.
Zinn, now 86, and Arnove joined actors and readers Tim Robbins, Amber Tamblyn, Avery Brooks, Brian Jones, Shontina Vernon, Staceyann Chin and Evann Orleck-Jetter in another reading of outstanding speeches. It was clear that the concept works exceedingly well, since the actor’s portrayals of these unknown speeches from history were wildly compelling.
Evann Orlck-Jetter, who is 12, a native of Vermont, made national news this year when she testified before the Vermont state legislature in support of marriage equality. She re-read her eloquent testimony at the Y, which was credited with helping turn the legislature toward its new law allowing gay marriage.
For every kid who thinks history is boring, look to Howard Zinn. His work is guaranteed to make it come alive.
Howard Zinn at the 92nd Street Y on May 13, 2009 at the second "Voices" reading. Photo by Frank Beacham
