The following is an excerpt from "Surprises," Chapter 19 of A People’s History of the United States to highlight Native American resistance during the 1960s and 70s. As Howard Zinn states, “Never in American history had more movements for change been concentrated in so short a span of years.” This is followed by additional resources on Native American history and resistance.
For Indigenous Peoples' Day, we feature an excerpt from Chapter One of A People’s History of the United States. Howard Zinn describes why he tells the story of Columbus’s arrival “from the viewpoint of the Arawaks” and "the inevitable taking of sides which comes from selection and emphasis in history."
Interviewed with David Barsamian • The Progressive • July 1997
"We should be encouraged by historical examples of social change, by how surprising changes take place suddenly, when you least expect it, not because of a miracle from on high, but because people have labored patiently for a long time. When people get discouraged because they do something and nothing happens, they should really understand that the only way things will happen is if people get over the notion that they must see immediate success. If they get over that notion and persist, then they will see things happen before they even realize it."
Excerpts
Indian Resistance and Thanksgiving Declarations
Posted: November 17, 2014 by Howard Zinn Website
Category: Articles & Interviews, Articles by Howard Zinn Tags: Excerpts
Columbus and the Lens of History
Posted: October 2, 2014 by Howard Zinn Website
Category: Articles & Interviews, Articles by Howard Zinn, News Tags: Columbus, Excerpts, Holidays
Outside the Classroom
Posted: July 1, 1997 by Howard Zinn Website
"We should be encouraged by historical examples of social change, by how surprising changes take place suddenly, when you least expect it, not because of a miracle from on high, but because people have labored patiently for a long time. When people get discouraged because they do something and nothing happens, they should really understand that the only way things will happen is if people get over the notion that they must see immediate success. If they get over that notion and persist, then they will see things happen before they even realize it."
Category: Articles & Interviews, Interviews With Howard Zinn Tags: Activism, Civil Rights Movement, Excerpts, John Silber, Possibility, The Progressive