Howard Zinn was a historian, political scientist, social critic, activist and playwright, best known as author of the bestseller A People's History of the United States. The author of some 20 books, he was a Professor in the Political Science Department at Boston University. He died in 2010.
The People's Historian was born August 24, 1922. We share a piece on immigration he published with us in our July 2006 issue—entirely relevant today. more
We need to assert our allegiance to the human race... more
In honor of Veterans Day 2014, we present from our archive a 2004 essay by Howard Zinn on just and unjust war. He writes, "I am finding that I am not the only veteran of World War II who refuses to be corralled into justifying the wars of t... more
"Let the dead of all our wars be honored. Let the living pledge themselves never to embark on mass slaughter again." more
Another Memorial Day. Another war. Yes, let's honor those who died in the nation's many wars. But if we do not want to keep adding to the soldiers' graves, let's also ask why they died.We know our political leaders will speak solemnly to the nati... more
On this July 4, we would do well to renounce nationalism and all its symbols: its flags, its pledges of allegiance, its anthems, its insistence in song that God must single out America to be blessed. more
By Howard Zinn The very people who should know better, having criticized the hold of the media on the national mind, find themselves transfixed by the press, glued to the television set, as the candidates preen and smile and bring forth a show... more
Election fever has seized the country, as it does every four years. Now I’m not saying elections are totally insignificant, and that we should refuse to vote to preserve our moral purity. I’m talking about a sense of proportion that gets ... more
The images on television have been heartbreaking. People on fire leaping to their deaths from a hundred stories up. People in panic and fear racing from the scene in clouds of dust and smoke. more
I believe two moral judgments can be made about the present "war": The September 11 attack constitutes a crime against humanity and cannot be justified, and the bombing of Afghanistan is also a crime, which cannot be justified. more
I am calling it "our" war on terrorism because I want to distinguish it from Bush's war on terrorism, and from Sharon's, and from Putin's. What their wars have in common is that they are based on an enormous deception: persuading the people... more
Our government has declared a military victory in Iraq. As a patriot, I will not celebrate. I will mourn the dead--the American GIs, and also the Iraqi dead, of whom there have been many, many more. more
In the days after the election, it seemed that all my friends were either depressed or angry, frustrated or indignant, or simply disgusted. more
In all the solemn statements by self-important politicians and newspaper columnists about a coming war against Iraq, and even in the troubled comments by some who are opposed to the war, there is something missing. more
When a social movement adopts the compromises of legislators, it has forgotten its role, which is to push and challenge the politicians, not to fall in meekly behind them. As I write this, Congress is debating timetables for withdrawal from... more
-- by Howard Zinn The time is right, then, for a national campaign calling for the impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Cheney. Courage is in short supply in Washington, D.C. The realities of the Iraq War cry out for the overthrow o... more
The realities of the Iraq War cry out for the impeachment of a president who is responsible for death, destruction and chaos in that country. more
A more honest estimate of ourselves as a nation would prepare us all for the next barrage of lies that will accompany the next proposal to inflict our power on some other part of the world. It might also inspire us to create a different his... more
If we don't know history, then we are ready meat for carnivorous politicians and the intellectuals and journalists who supply the carving knives. But if we know some history, if we know how many times presidents have lied to us, we will not... more
The war against Iraq, the assault on its people, the occupation of its cities, will come to an end, sooner or later. The process has already begun. The first signs of mutiny are appearing in Congress. The first editorials calling for withdr... more
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