RIP Howard Zinn

I remember when I first read Howard Zinn's The People's History of the United States. In the words of the Matt Damon character in Good Will Hunting, "It blew my mind". I had never seen history written like this before, with a distinct and explicit point of view. I didn't necessarily agree with Zinn's point of view in each of his chapters, but I was as engaged as I've ever been with his analysis. I wanted to argue with him, to tell him where I agreed or disagreed, to challenge his view of the founding fathers, capitalism, and a "just war". When I became a teacher, I knew that I would have to share his work with my students. They needed to hear a different view on Columbus, the Mexican War, and the Constitution. They learned a lot, not necessarily about the best of historical methods, but about the importance of multiple perspectives, giving voice to those that often did not have one, and perhaps most importantly taking action. Today, Zinn still inspires me and my students. Whether it's showing them that "We have the same kinds of choices that are given in multiple choice tests, where you can choose a, b, c, or d. But e, f, g, and h are not even listed" or posing the difficult question of "How do you measure commitment" or ultimately leaving them with the "possiblity of hope", Howard Zinn was the lifeblood of our course. He will be missed.

To see the NY Times article about his life and death click here.
To see Daniel Elsburg's (the author of "The Pentagon Papers") reflection click here.
To see Zinn's commentary on the "American Empire" narrated by Viggo Mortensen click here.