Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Howard Zinn - 1922 - 2010

Howard Zinn, an author, teacher and political activist whose leftist "A People's History of the United States" became a million-selling alternative to mainstream texts ... died Wednesday. He was 87.

Zinn died of a heart attack in Santa Monica, Calif. ...

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. ...

At a time when few politicians dared even call themselves liberal, "A People's History" told an openly left-wing story. Zinn charged Christopher Columbus and other explorers with genocide, picked apart presidents from Andrew Jackson to Franklin D. Roosevelt and celebrated workers, feminists and war resisters ...

"There's no such thing as a whole story; every story is incomplete," Zinn said. "My idea was the orthodox viewpoint has already been done a thousand times."

"There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people."


"Americans have been taught that their nation is civilized and humane. But, too often, U.S. actions have been uncivilized and inhumane."


"If those in charge of our society - politicians, corporate executives, and owners of press and television - can dominate our ideas, they will be secure in their power. They will not need soldiers patrolling the streets. We will control ourselves."


3 comments:

Scott said...

A blow to lovers of peace everywhere.

Shawn said...

Where have I been that I never read his book? Those quotes alone are worth the price of admission. Well, there can't be a much better legacy to leave than speaking the truth, even when it's not the popular thing to say.

dbackdad said...

Shawn -- My thoughts exactly. I can't believe I had never read this book. I had read some excerpts from Zinn here and there over the years and knew of him but that was about it until we watched "The People Speak .. " program a few weeks ago. And then Zinn up and dies last week.

I just bought the book yesterday and it is in my queue. But got to finish Gladwell's Blink right now ... very interesting book about first impressions.