Howard Zinn passed away yesterday at the age of 87. Zinn was a “radical” historian and one of the first protesters of the Vietnam War.
He was probably best known for his book, A People’s History of the United States, which showed that our history was not only shaped by those is power but also by ordinary people who were struggling against class, racial and gender issues.
I don’t really have many famous heroes but Howard Zinn was one of my heroes. Reading A People’s History changed me and partially shaped who I am today. The book made me believe that a single person could make a difference. That one ordinary person could be a catalyst for change.
