Take a moment to remember and mourn Doctor Zinn. His passing reminds me that the New York public schools used to be among the best in the country. Dr. Zinn taught the other side of history. Most people don’t even know that there is another side.
About The Author
BooMan
Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
Aw crap. That’s sad to hear, really.
I just recently saw an interview with him on some show. I don’t remember, it might have been Bill Moyers. Not sure when it was taped. It was fascinating listening to him, though. He talked extensively about his experiences with the SNCC, the civil rights movement and a whole host of other things. I came away with a great admiration for his intellect and his staunch principles in the face of tremendous resistance.
We need more Howard Zinn’s today. Are there any out there?
We have lost someone who was a true liberal in almost every sense. So sad. Though he lived a long life that his family can be proud of.
We can only hope to do as well as Dr. Zinn during our lifetimes.
Not many. Michael Parenti, Noam Chomsky (on some issues), Robert Parry, Jim DiEugenio … there are surely a few others. But very few.
What a loss.
And what a pathetic commentary, contrasting with the previous post, that the number of people familiar with Zinn’s work – as widely influential as it is – is still probably a only tiny fraction of the number of people following the saga of John Edwards’ dick.
Zinn’s was the first history book that I had ever read. Of course I’ve read history books in school, but they’re nothing but revisionist horse shit bent on glorifying America (not like all countries don’t do it, though, so this isn’t merely a bashing of America as a bashing of nationalism).
I remember having been assigned to read it as a summer assignment, along with a 10 page paper. At the time (11th grade) I was like, “10 pages? How the hell am I going to write that?”
However, Zinn provided so much material that I had trouble keeping it UNDER 10 pages.
What sad news. But at the same time, what a legacy. His “A People’s History of the United States,” is sitting on my bookshelf. I count is as one of the books that changed my life.
As a African American and a gay man, I already knew that history was written by the victors, and thus didn’t include many people like me. (At least, not as primary actors. My people were pretty much relegated to decorating the set and sweeping up the stage after the real actors of history finished.) But before his book I didn’t realize just how much history was wasn’t taught.
When my kids are old enough, I plan on making sure they’re equipped with Zinn’s book when they start learning history, and maybe even suggest passages to coincide with what they’re learning at the moment.
I saw him speak maybe 4 years ago and I took a student. It was an inspirational evening.
Very sad to hear. So many of our giants are no longer with us, but their legacy lives on to inspire us. We must keep their ideas alive for our children and the generations to come.
Dr. Zinn has been one of the stellar few who inspire my pride in this nation, by embodying so many ideals of civic engagement.
May his soul be blessed.
Zinn was a true American hero.