Historic Unfulfilled Promise

Howard Zinn (August 24, 1922 - January 27, 2010) was a historian, playwright, and activist. He wrote the classic A People's History of the United States, "a brilliant and moving history of the American people from the point of view of those whose plight has been largely omitted from most histories," that has sold over two million copies to date. Zinn was a prolific writer and penned many books including The Bomb and A Power Governments Cannot Suppress. He was widely acknowledged in popular culture; A People's History was even depicted in The Sopranos and The Simpsons.

"Both Zinn's critics and his fans (there are many of both) will not see any appreciable watering-down of his often contentious views on democracy and war, the two subjects most abundantly represented here. But here there is also an opportunity to see a side of Zinn that was often kept private. His 2007 essay, 'Remembering Kurt Vonnegut,' for example, eulogizes the acclaimed novelist with a rather touching personal statement of Zinn's own affection for him. A sharp and insightful collection from one of the country's most visible historians and critics."--Booklist "Howard Zinn's life and work are an unforgettable model, sure to leave a permanent stamp on how history is understood and how a decent and honorable life should be lived."--Noam Chomsky "Proudly, unabashedly radical ... Mr. Zinn delighted in debating ideological foes, not the least his own college president, and in lancing what he considered platitudes, not the least that American history was a heroic march toward democracy."--New York Times "For Howard, democracy was one big public fight and everyone should plunge into it. That's the only way, he said, for everyday folks to get justic--by fighting for it."--Bill Moyers "Howard Zinn was called a lot of different names: anarchist, socialist, and communist. He called himself a lot of different names, too: anarchist, socialist, and communist. No one ever seems to have called him Zen, but maybe it's time to start ... The Historic Unfulfilled Promise is a testament to Zinn's Zen politics: his refusal to be silent, to acquiesce, or to sever his ties with the downtrodden."--The Monthly Review

• Table of Contents1. A Showcase of RepressionJune 19802. A Murderous World February 19893. Organizing the OrganizedNovember 19904. Outside the ClassroomJuly 1997 Interview with David Barsamian5. One Iraqi’s StoryFebruary 19996. A Diplomatic SolutionMay 19997. Their Atrocities—and OursJuly 19998. Delusion 2000: How the candidates view the worldMarch 20009. One Radical Who Did It All: Sender GarlinApril 200010. Artists of ResistanceJuly 200111. Operation Enduring WarMarch 200212. What War Looks LikeOctober 200213. Our Job Is a Simple One: Stop ThemDecember 200214. A Chorus Against WarMarch 200315. Dying for the GovernmentJune 200316. Humpty Dumpty Will FallAugust 200317. An Occupied CountryOctober 200318. The Logic of WithdrawalJanuary 200419. Opposing the War PartyMay 200420. What Do We Do Now?June 200421. Our War on TerrorismNovember 200422. Harness That AngerJanuary 200523. Changing Minds, One at a TimeMarch 200524. After the WarJanuary 200625. Why War FailsNovember 200626. Impeachment by the PeopleFebruary 200727. Are We Politicians or Citizens?May 200728. Kurt Vonnegut RememberedJune 200729. Election MadnessMarch 200830. The Obama DifferenceOctober 200831. Changing Obama’s MindsetMay 200932. A Just Cause ? A Just WarJuly 200933. The Nobel’s Feeble GestureJanuary 2010About the AuthorsIndex