News - Zinn Education Project

Letter to the American Federation of Teachers

Letter to the editor of the American Educator in response to “Undue Certainty: Where Howard Zinn’s A People’s History Falls Short.”

Memories of Huey P. Newton and the Black Panthers

"Thank you for posting the picture of Huey Newton and the children. I am the girl in the picture. I was 11-years-old and volunteering as a typist for the Black Panther Party . . . Today I work on computers, so I am still typing!" -- Annissa Nadirah Karim

‘Power In Our Hands’ Labor Lessons Now Available

The Zinn Education Project posted all the lessons from The Power in Our Hands: A …

Fred Lucas: Lincoln Brigadista and 1931 Hunger Marcher

On March 6, 2014, Kianga Lucas commented on the Zinn Education Project's Facebook post about the Lincoln Brigades: "Wonderful! My grandfather also fought in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. These men and women were incredibly brave and sacrificed a lot." We asked Ms. Lucas for more information about her grandfather and here is the people's history that she shared.

Hidden History of the White House Exposed on Presidents’ Day

Our latest If We Knew Our History series article, “Missing from Presidents’ Day: The People…

Black Abolitionists (Book) | Zinn Education Project: Teaching People's History

How Many Black Abolitionists Can You Name?

In the United States, there has been a renewal of interest in slavery, the…

‘The exhilaration of standing with other people’ — Remembering Howard Zinn

Howard Zinn passed away four years ago on January 27, 2010. We miss him--we miss his wisdom, his humor, his kindness, his capacity to place just about any current event in its historical context. The phrase "speak truth to power" perfectly describes the life's work of Howard Zinn. The Zinn Education Project continues to draw inspiration from the words and deeds Zinn left behind.

Teaching People’s History Highlights of 2013

The year 2013 ended with more than 34,000 teachers registered, more than 63,000 Facebook fans, reaching millions of students each year, and creating the public space that supports people's history being taught in classrooms. Here we feature just a few of the accomplishments of 2013, which would not have been possible without the support of individual donors at all levels of giving.

2013 Donors Affirm, ‘Keep Fighting the Good Fight’

Thanks to the 217 donors who made it possible for the Zinn Education Project to promote the teaching of people’s history and register 8,000 more teachers. It's because of individuals like you that the Zinn Education Project reaches tens of thousands of teachers and millions of students each year. Here are some stories people shared with their donation.

Donation in Honor of Rugenia Moore Henry, Civil Rights Activist

Mia Henry has an extensive career in youth development, community organizing, and civic and history…

Donation in Honor of William G. Fletcher Sr.’s Labor Lessons

Labor activist and scholar Bill Fletcher Jr.’s donation to the Zinn Education Project in honor…

Ordinary Citizens Catalyzing Change: A ‘People’s History’ of 2013

By Katy Swalwell This year has been full of examples of people making history. Although newspapers and textbooks often focus on political and military leaders, the real story was with "ordinary people" in the streets who challenged injustice and worked for good.

The Next Five Years Depend on You

When young people learn a more accurate history---including how people have worked together for greater dignity and justice---they are more likely to see themselves as changemakers. As our favorite teacher, Howard Zinn, said, "I had a modest goal when I became a teacher. I wanted to change the world." Please join us spreading a people's history to classrooms everywhere. Help us change the world.

Donation in Honor of Ann Dawson, a Rosie the Riveter

Pittsburgh middle school teacher Kipp Dawson donated to our campaign to raise $1,000 to post a set of role plays from the book Power In Our Hands on the history of organized labor in the United States. Join her by donating to make sure teachers have the right to use people's history lessons! Kipp wrote: "I am contributing in memory of my mother, Ann Dawson, and her sisters among the Rosie the Riveters and Steel Workers Organizing Committee whose real history also could be lost were it not for Zinn Education Project and the teachers and students and historians it brings together and empowers."

Nelson Mandela, Madiba

We mourn the death of Nelson Mandela, who died today at age 95. Mandela's sacrifice, courage, and vision inspired people throughout the world, and thousands, if not millions, of young people came to their political awareness through anti-apartheid solidarity actions.

Oh Freedom After While Colloquium at NCSS

One of the highlights of the 93rd National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) Conference in St. Louis was the “Civil Rights in the 21st Century: Oh Freedom After While Colloquium” at the Missouri History Museum. The event featured a showing of the powerful documentary Oh Freedom After While, chronicling the January 1939 sharecropper protest in the Missouri Bootheel.

Daughter of Lincoln Brigader Donates to Support People’s History

"In honor of my father, who died in the Spanish Civil War. He served in the Lincoln Brigade." Rhoda Seidler's donation to the Zinn Education Project came with a connection to people's history. Her father volunteered for the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, an international volunteer army that fought to save Spain’s Republican government from being overwhelmed by the fascist Francisco Franco, and his allies, Hitler and Mussolini.

Bashing Howard Zinn: A Critical Look at One of the Critics

A critical response to “Undue Certainty: Where Howard Zinn’s A People’s History Falls Short" by Sam Wineburg.

Forever Young: Staughton Lynd

by Andy Piascik In an epoch of imperial hubris and corporate class warfare on steroids, the release of these books could hardly have come at a better time. Soldier, coal miner, Sixties veteran, recent graduate — there’s much to be gained by one and all from a study of Lynd’s life and work. In so doing, it’s inspiring to discover how frequently he was in the right place at the right time and, more importantly, on the right side.

Art Students Promote Their College’s Civil Rights Archives

Queens College in New York has an important archive with a wealth of documents about the activism of their staff and students during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. To bring attention to the history and resources, the archive staff called on the college’s graphic design department for help. The results are the stunning images below.

‘Howard Zinn, Presente’ by Staughton Lynd

The following essay was presented at the Howard Zinn Read-In held at Purdue University on November 5, 2013.
If you are like me, and I think you are, you may be expecting something like one of the old Wobbly free speech fights. I will say, “We hold these truths to be self-evident,” after which I will be arrested.

Philadelphia Embraces People’s History

Philadelphia City Councilman James Kenney authored a resolution, calling upon the Philadelphia School District “to make Howard Zinn’s best-selling book A People’s History of the United States a required part of the high school U.S. history curriculum.”