In 2008, Howard Zinn have a keynote address at the National Conference for the Social Studies (NCSS) conference. He offers clear examples of how history teachers can help students think outside of the box. This is an excellent film to be shown in parts or in full for staff discussion.…
Interview by Gabriel Matthew Schivone • ZCommunications • August 29, 2008
GMS: Let's start with the second resolution of the March 4 Manifesto: "To devise means for turning research applications away from their present emphasis on military technology toward the solution of pressing social and environmental problems." Would you explain the importance of this idea of scientific reconversion?
It's been a long-standing problem of science being used for destruction or for construction. It goes back to Hiroshima and Nagasaki—it goes back to the atomic bomb. In fact, that probably was the first really dramatic instance of the use of the latest scientific knowledge to kill human beings.
Interviewed by BigThink • 5/8/08
"A more realistic and more truthful history would take a look at American foreign policy over the last several hundred years, really. It will take a look at American foreign policy and see it for what it has been–expansionist, violent and militaristic. In other words, it would be a history that would be honest in the way that we expect individuals to be honest about themselves and their past and to rectify their mistakes."
Interview by David Barsamian • International Socialist Review • July 21, 2004
This interview was conducted at at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts and included in the book, Original Zinn: Conversations on History and Politics.
Category: Articles & Interviews, Interviews With Howard Zinn Tags: Activism, Alternative Radio, Class, Economics, Education, fascism, FDR, ISR, Media, New Deal, Politics, Prison, WWI, WWII
Interviewed by Felisa Tibbitts • Human Rights Education Association • January 5, 2005
Historically, how do you think schools have served as a catalyst for social change and furthering the human rights movement?
Zinn: I think it works both ways. Students who learn in school about what is going on in the world are motivated to do something about it, to act on what they have learned. When I say it goes both ways, when you have students become active in human rights and feel that human rights has touched them personally, then they are likely to come back into the classroom and have the curriculum reflect their own consciousness.
Interviewed by American Amnesia • February 8, 2004
aA:Do you see historical amnesia – that is, forgetting both recent and distant history – as an ailment of the younger generation, or as a continuation of the “way we’ve always been”?
hZ: It's not an ailment of the younger generation but of that part of the older generation that controls the media and the educational system. I find that young people are hungry for information, but their sources are too often the major television channels, which are controlled by a tiny group of wealthy corporations, with ties and interests close to the government.
By James Green • May 23, 2003 • The Chronicle of Higher Education
A sellout crowd filled the 92nd Street Y in New York recently to celebrate a publishing milestone: the sale of one million copies of Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States. First published in 1980, the book, updated by the author, continues to be assigned in countless college and high school courses, but its commercial sales have remained strong as well. It is probably the only book by a radical historian that you can buy in an airport.
Interviewed by Michael Pozo • St. John's University Humanities Review • March 2003
MP: How is your approach to History conducive for positive social change?
HZ: I hope it gives people the History of previous social movements to show how they can bring about change, to show that it is possible, to give people faith that if they participate, if they do even small actions, that might have an effect, if not today, tomorrow or next year.
Education
Howard Zinn at the 2008 NCSS Conference
Posted: November 16, 2008 by Howard Zinn Website
In 2008, Howard Zinn have a keynote address at the National Conference for the Social Studies (NCSS) conference. He offers clear examples of how history teachers can help students think outside of the box. This is an excellent film to be shown in parts or in full for staff discussion.…
Category: Audio & Video, Audio and Video with Howard Zinn, Video With Howard Zinn Tags: Education, Events, Zinn Education Project
The Citizens Among Us
Posted: August 29, 2008 by Howard Zinn Website
GMS: Let's start with the second resolution of the March 4 Manifesto: "To devise means for turning research applications away from their present emphasis on military technology toward the solution of pressing social and environmental problems." Would you explain the importance of this idea of scientific reconversion?
It's been a long-standing problem of science being used for destruction or for construction. It goes back to Hiroshima and Nagasaki—it goes back to the atomic bomb. In fact, that probably was the first really dramatic instance of the use of the latest scientific knowledge to kill human beings.
Category: Articles & Interviews, Interviews With Howard Zinn Tags: Activist, Education, ZCommunications
Howard Zinn on the Limitations of American History Books
Posted: May 8, 2008 by Howard Zinn Website
"A more realistic and more truthful history would take a look at American foreign policy over the last several hundred years, really. It will take a look at American foreign policy and see it for what it has been–expansionist, violent and militaristic. In other words, it would be a history that would be honest in the way that we expect individuals to be honest about themselves and their past and to rectify their mistakes."
Category: Articles & Interviews, Audio & Video, Audio and Video with Howard Zinn, Interviews With Howard Zinn, Video With Howard Zinn Tags: BigThink Video, Education
Critical Thinking
Posted: February 1, 2005 by Howard Zinn Website
This interview was conducted at at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts and included in the book, Original Zinn: Conversations on History and Politics.
Category: Articles & Interviews, Interviews With Howard Zinn Tags: Activism, Alternative Radio, Class, Economics, Education, fascism, FDR, ISR, Media, New Deal, Politics, Prison, WWI, WWII
HREA Director Interviews Historian Howard Zinn
Posted: January 5, 2005 by Howard Zinn Website
Historically, how do you think schools have served as a catalyst for social change and furthering the human rights movement?
Zinn: I think it works both ways. Students who learn in school about what is going on in the world are motivated to do something about it, to act on what they have learned. When I say it goes both ways, when you have students become active in human rights and feel that human rights has touched them personally, then they are likely to come back into the classroom and have the curriculum reflect their own consciousness.
Category: Articles & Interviews, Interviews With Howard Zinn Tags: Civil Disobedience, Democracy, Education, In the South, Racism
American Amnesia Interviews Howard Zinn
Posted: February 8, 2004 by Howard Zinn Website
aA:Do you see historical amnesia – that is, forgetting both recent and distant history – as an ailment of the younger generation, or as a continuation of the “way we’ve always been”?
hZ: It's not an ailment of the younger generation but of that part of the older generation that controls the media and the educational system. I find that young people are hungry for information, but their sources are too often the major television channels, which are controlled by a tiny group of wealthy corporations, with ties and interests close to the government.
Category: Articles & Interviews, Interviews With Howard Zinn Tags: American Empire, Democracy, Education, International, Politics, War
Howard Zinn’s History
Posted: May 23, 2003 by Howard Zinn Website
A sellout crowd filled the 92nd Street Y in New York recently to celebrate a publishing milestone: the sale of one million copies of Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States. First published in 1980, the book, updated by the author, continues to be assigned in countless college and high school courses, but its commercial sales have remained strong as well. It is probably the only book by a radical historian that you can buy in an airport.
Category: Articles & Interviews, Articles about Howard Zinn Tags: A People's History of the United States, Education, In the News, Tribute
A Few Words with Howard Zinn
Posted: March 1, 2003 by Howard Zinn Website
MP: How is your approach to History conducive for positive social change? HZ: I hope it gives people the History of previous social movements to show how they can bring about change, to show that it is possible, to give people faith that if they participate, if they do even small actions, that might have an effect, if not today, tomorrow or next year.
Category: Articles & Interviews, Interviews With Howard Zinn Tags: Democracy, Education, Media