About
Howard Zinn was an American historian and playwright, known for his bottom-up approach to history. Born in Brooklyn to a working-class immigrant family, he served as a bombardier in World War II, an experience that shaped his anti-war stance. After earning degrees from New York University and Columbia, he taught at Spelman College, where he supported student civil-rights activism, and later at Boston University. His major work, *A People's History of the United States* (1980), achieved widespread popularity. He also wrote politically engaged plays and opposed the Vietnam War.
* 1922-08-24 — † 2010-01-27
Major works
- A People's History of the United States (1980)historical essay
- Emmaplay
- Marx in Sohoplay
- Daughter of Venusplay
Key milestones
- 1956Becomes chair of the history department at Spelman College.
- 1968Travels to Hanoi with Rev. Daniel Berrigan to repatriate American prisoners of war.
- 1980Publishes *A People's History of the United States*, a finalist for the National Book Award.
Themes
People's historySocial movementsAnti-warSocial justiceCritique of capitalism
Sources: historians.org · bu.edu · ashp.cuny.edu