Howard Zinn

Lore & Background

Howard Zinn was born to Jewish immigrant parents in Brooklyn. His father, from Austria-Hungary, and mother, from Irkutsk, were factory workers with limited education. During the Great Depression, his father worked as a ditch digger and window cleaner. Zinn's introduction to literature came through a coupon offer for Charles Dickens' works. As a young man, he attended a peaceful political rally in Times Square where mounted police charged the marchers, knocking him unconscious—an event that profoundly shaped his political outlook.

During World War II, Zinn served as a bombardier in the U.S. Army Air Corps, dropping napalm on Royan, France, in April 1945. Later research revealed that the bombing killed over a thousand French civilians and was ordered partly for career advancement. Zinn also participated in the bombing of Plzeň, Czechoslovakia, where he later learned that several hundred Czechs were killed, contrary to official reports. These experiences informed his anti-war stance.

After the war, Zinn earned a BA from New York University and an MA and PhD from Columbia University. He taught at Spelman College from 1956 to 1963 and later at Boston University. He described himself as 'something of an anarchist, something of a socialist. Maybe a democratic socialist.' His memoir, You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train (1994), was adapted into a 2004 documentary.

Reader's Guide

Howard Zinn's significance lies in his challenge to traditional American historical narratives. A People's History of the United States, published in 1980, reframed U.S. history from the viewpoints of workers, women, Native Americans, and other marginalized groups, becoming a bestseller and widely used in classrooms. His work emphasized the ethical dilemmas of war, drawing on his own experiences as a bombardier in World War II, particularly the bombing of Royan and Plzeň, which he later documented as causing massive civilian casualties. Zinn's legacy includes influencing generations of activists and historians to question official accounts and consider history from below. His writings on civil rights, labor, and anti-war movements remain touchstones for progressive thought. The 2007 young readers' edition extended his reach to new audiences.

Did You Know?

• Zinn dropped napalm bombs on Royan, France, in April 1945, later learning the attack killed over a thousand French civilians.
• His parents introduced him to literature by sending 10 cents plus a coupon to the New York Post for each volume of Charles Dickens' collected works.
• Zinn was knocked unconscious at a peaceful political rally in Times Square when mounted police charged the marchers.
• He described himself as 'something of an anarchist, something of a socialist. Maybe a democratic socialist.'

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"Declarations of Independence: Cross-Examining American Ideology (1991): "American Ideology" — Howard Zinn "It is the great challenge of our time: How to achieve justice, with struggle, but without war." — Howard Zinn "Declarations of Independence: Cross-Examining American Ideology (1991): "Obligation to the State" — Howard Zinn "There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people for a purpose which is unattainable." — Howard Zinn