From Oregon to Arkansas: Howard Zinn Book Drive Ties People Together

During the Howard Zinn book drive for Arkansas, we posted this note from Harrisburg, Arkansas, high school teacher Morgan Garland:

I only have one copy of Howard Zinn’s book and I make copies of each chapter of A People’s History of the United States for all of my students. My students enjoy Zinn’s text (as a matter of fact, it is the only thing I can get them excited about reading). They say his text has opened their minds to other ideas and perspectives of our country’s history.

Garland could not afford a class set of A People’s History of the United States. Her school is in a low-income community where 100% of the students receive free or reduced lunch.

A Zinn Education Project Facebook fan, Yarrow from Southern Oregon, saw the post and decided to take action. She wrote,

I already donated to the Zinn book drive for Arkansas, but I would also be honored to make an additional donation so that all of the students in at least one of Ms. Garland’s classes can have access to a copy of A People’s History of the United States. Ms. Garland is a star, and we should treat her and her students that way. So very proud of her, them, and y’all.

Not only did Garland’s students receive books, but the donation also gave them moral support. Garland wrote,

I shared the e-newsletter with my class and they were thrilled to see their photo. In little ole Harrisburg, Arkansas, it’s hard for my students to feel connected with the rest of the country. For them to see that people across the country are interested in their education really opened their eyes. How neat it was for them to see that if there is a cause and that cause is just and right, people will join together and resist.

Our thanks to everyone who has contributed to the Arkansas book drive. Read about the donors and add your donation. With your support we can continue to provide people’s history resources to teachers in all 50 states.

Note: Ms. Garland has 110 more students in her other classes. Donations are welcome so that all her classes are learning people’s history.