Howard Zinn, Historian and Activist, Dies at 87

[Saladin]

Howard Zinn, Historian, Dies at 87 - Obituary (Obit) - NYTimes.com

Howard Zinn, an author, teacher and political activist whose book “A People’s History of the United States” became a million-selling leftist alternative to mainstream texts, died Wednesday in Santa Monica, Calif. He was 87 and lived in Auburndale, Mass.

The cause was a heart attack, his daughter Myla Kabat-Zinn said.

Published in 1980 with little promotion and a first printing of 5,000, “A People’s History” was, fittingly, a people’s best-seller, attracting a wide audience through word of mouth and reaching 1 million sales in 2003. Although Professor Zinn was writing for a general readership, his book was taught in high schools and colleges throughout the country, and numerous companion editions were published, including “Voices of a People’s History,” a volume for young people and a graphic novel.

“A People’s History” told an openly left-wing story. Professor Zinn accused Christopher Columbus and other explorers of committing genocide, picked apart presidents from Andrew Jackson to Franklin D. Roosevelt and celebrated workers, feminists and war resisters.

[...]

One of Professor Zinn’s last public writings was a brief essay, published last week in The Nation, about the first year of the Obama administration.

“I’ve been searching hard for a highlight,” he wrote, adding that he wasn’t disappointed because he never expected a lot from President Obama.

“I think people are dazzled by Obama’s rhetoric, and that people ought to begin to understand that Obama is going to be a mediocre president — which means, in our time, a dangerous president — unless there is some national movement to push him in a better direction.”

Howard Zinn was an insightful anarchist and socialist commentator who challenged imperialistic empire first and foremost. May he rest in peace.

 

[midcan5]

One of the truly great Americans.

"....Dr. Zinn's writings "simply changed perspective and understanding for a whole generation. He opened up approaches to history that were novel and highly significant. Both by his actions, and his writings for 50 years, he played a powerful role in helping and in many ways inspiring the Civil rights movement and the anti-war movement.""

Howard Zinn, historian who challenged status quo, dies at 87 - Local News Updates - The Boston Globe

Welcome to HowardZinn.org


"From the start, my teaching was infused with my own history. I would try to be fair to other points of view, but I wanted more than 'objectivity'; I wanted students to leave my classes not just better informed, but more prepared to relinquish the safety of silence, more prepared to speak up, to act against injustice wherever they saw it. This, of course, was a recipe for trouble." Howard Zinn

 

[P F Tinmore]

Great man.

I can't think of anyone who can replace him.

 

[AkronGuy]

I may not've agreed with him on many things, but he opened a lot of minds and that's to applauded.

 

[GHook93]

Good! Another self-hating American Socialist who promoted a his false, revisionist and anti-american agenda under the clout of academia.

 

[Shogun]

shut up, nose job.

 

[xsited1]

We will miss you, Invader Zim:

 

[P F Tinmore]

Howard Zinn (1922-2010): A Tribute to the Legendary Historian with Noam Chomsky, Alice Walker, Naomi Klein and Anthony Arnove

 

[GHook93]

Howard Zinn (1922-2010): A Tribute to the Legendary Historian with Noam Chomsky, Alice Walker, Naomi Klein and Anthony Arnove

Noam Chomsky, Alice Walker, Naomi Klein and Anthony Arnove.
Good crowd of self-hating Americans there, Zin should be proud!

 

[P F Tinmore]

Howard Zinn (1922-2010): A Tribute to the Legendary Historian with Noam Chomsky, Alice Walker, Naomi Klein and Anthony Arnove

Noam Chomsky, Alice Walker, Naomi Klein and Anthony Arnove.
Good crowd of self-hating Americans there, Zin should be proud!

Ahhh, Naomi Klein is Canadian.