Howard Zinn Archives

Passionate Declarations: Essays on War and Justice

Book — Non-fiction. By Howard Zinn. 2003. 368 pages.
A selection of passionate, honest, and piercing essays looking at political ideology in the United States.

Disobedience and Democracy: Nine Fallacies on Law and Order

Book — Non-fiction. By Howard Zinn. 1968.
A cogent defense of civil disobedience.

Justice in Everyday Life: The Way It Really Works

Books — Non-fiction. Howard Zinn. 1974.
Howard Zinn's book on the way justice really works in the U.S. and how it can change for the better.

Howard Zinn Talks to Social Studies Teachers

Howard Zinn's keynote speech to teachers at the National Council for the Social Studies Conference in Houston in 2008.

Howard Zinn: You Can’t Be Neutral on a Moving Train

Film. By Deb Ellis and Denis Mueller. 2010. 78 minutes.
Documentary on life and work of Howard Zinn.

A Peoples History of the United States Book | Zinn Education Project

A People’s History of the United States: 1492 – Present

Book — Non-fiction. By Howard Zinn. 2005, with a new introduction by Anthony Arnove in 2015. 784 pages.
Howard Zinn's groundbreaking work on U.S. history. This book details lives and facts rarely included in textbooks—an indispensable teacher and student resource.

The Color Line

Teaching Activity. By Bill Bigelow. 6 pages.
A lesson on the countless colonial laws enacted to create division and inequality based on race. This helps students understand the origins of racism in the United States and who benefits.

Teaching Activity by Bill Bigelow

What War Looks Like

Article. By Howard Zinn. 2002.
Background reading for teachers and high school students on the impact of war.

The Meaning of Sacco and Vanzetti

Audio. By Howard Zinn. 2008. 35 minutes.
A lecture by Howard Zinn on "The Meaning of Sacco and Vanzetti" at the Dante Alighieri Society Italian Cultural Center.

A People’s History of the United States: The Wall Charts

Booklet and 2-Poster Set. By Howard Zinn and George Kirschner. 2007.
Visual timelines of U.S. history presented thematically and chronologically.

La Otra Historia de los Estados Unidos

Book — Non-fiction. By Howard Zinn. Translated by Toni Strubel. 2011 (translation). 512 pages.
A People's History of the United States in Spanish.

A People’s History of American Empire: A Graphic Adaptation

Book — Non-fiction. By Howard Zinn and Mike Konopacki. 2008. 288 pages.
Graphic format with photos and narrative introduce parts of U.S. history.

Empire or Humanity?: What the Classroom Didn’t Teach Me about the American Empire

Article for Teachers and High School Students. By Howard Zinn. 4 pages.
An essay which raises questions about the justifications for empire building and imperialism.

Howard Zinn Speaking at NCSS, 2008 - | Zinn Education Project: Teaching People's History

Why Students Should Study History: An Interview with Howard Zinn

Background Reading. By Howard Zinn. 1994.
Interview conducted by Barbara Miner on a number of questions about the study of history.

Unsung Heroes (Lesson) | Zinn Education Project

Unsung Heroes: Encouraging Students to Appreciate Those Who Fought for Social Justice

Teaching Activity. Essay by Howard Zinn and lesson by Bill Bigelow. Rethinking Schools. 17 pages.
Students research and share stories about unsung heroes in U.S. history.

Teaching Activity by Bill Bigelow

book cover showing freedom riders protesting near a bus

A Young People’s History of the United States: Revised and Updated

Book — Non-fiction. By Howard Zinn, adapted by Rebecca Stefoff with additions by Ed Morales. 2022. 544 pages.
A young adult version of the best-selling A People’s History of the United States.

Voices of a People’s History of the United States, 10th Anniversary Edition

Book — Non-fiction. Edited by Howard Zinn and Anthony Arnove. 2014. 704 pages.
Speeches, letters, poems, and songs for each chapter of A People's History of the United States.

The People Speak: American Voices, Some Famous, Some Little Known

Book — Non-fiction. Edited by Howard Zinn. 2004. 96 pages.
A brief history of America told through dramatic readings applauding the enduring spirit of dissent.

The Zinn Reader: Writings on Disobedience and Democracy

Book — Non-fiction. By Howard Zinn. 2009. 746 pages.
A volume of essays emphasizing six areas that have been important to Zinn's work since the late 1950s — race, class, war, law, and history.

Howard Zinn: Interview by Bill Moyers

Article. Interview of Howard Zinn by Bill Moyers. 2009.
Book excerpt of Howard Zinn on The People Speak and a range of topics in U.S. history and contemporary issues.

Howard Zinn at the 2008 NCSS Conference | Zinn Education Project

“One Long Struggle for Justice”: An Interview with Historian Howard Zinn

In early January of 2010, the Zinn Education Project joined with HarperCollins, publisher of Howard Zinn's classic A People's History of the United States, to sponsor an "Ask Howard" online radio interview, and invited teachers from around the country to participate. Sixty teachers and students submitted written questions to Professor Zinn. The Jan. 19 interview was conducted by Rethinking Schools Curriculum Editor Bill Bigelow. Here are excerpts from that interview, edited for length and clarity. The full audio version can be accessed at Authors on Air.