Episode Information

A common criticism of history books is that they're written by the winners of war, presenting a one sided view of the way things were.  This view is the one most of us grew up with.  For instance, there's the idea that Columbus discovered America.  Something that's still a painful distortion to the continent's native population.  Twenty-five years ago historian and activist Howard Zinn changed all of that with a landmark best seller "A People's History of the United States" which presents American history through the eyes of those outside of the political and economic establishment. 

We talked to Zinn in April 2007, at the release of a new adaptation of his book by Rebecca Stefoff, "A Young People's History of the United States".  This volume is geared towards a younger audience, many of whom still are taught lessons of history from those historical textbooks. 

Zinn passed away Wednesday January 27, 2010 at 87 years old.