A question about Howard Zinn

Jennifer Burns is Assistant Professor of History at the University of Virginia.

A question about Howard Zinn

Monday, 14 December 2009 07:46

A reader writes in with the following question:

I am currently reading A People's History of the United States: 1492 to Present (P.S.) by Howard Zinn. Can you please tell me how this book is viewed in the academic world of U. S. history since it is has a very different perspective.

A few years ago I became interested in Howard Zinn's work and decided to write a short piece about it. Before I could get started, luckily, I happened upon this article by Michael Kazin, a historian at Georgetown University. It is a scorching critique that demonstrates how Zinn is viewed in academia and why his version of history has not made much headway among professional historians. It is worth noting that Kazin considers himself a man of the Left, so this is friendly-fire, as it were.

Howard Zinn's History Lessons, Dissent, Spring 2004

Comments (3)

|2009-12-23 06:17:07 Brian - The canard is in the title

With the adoption of The United States Constitution on September 17, 1787, the United States was founded, born, established. Not when Columbus came ashore. This manufactured U.S. history to 1492 is irksome and seemingly contrived. If history is to be treated honestly that far back, I expect Zinn to take the European nations to task as well. Not just the personality of Christopher Columbus, but colonial Europe in its entirety. Or, treat history honestly in the context of the U.S.’s existence and not in the context of his gripes with western civilization which has so richly rewarded him. If there is to be a treatment of slavery, discuss the Africans who sold fellow Africans to Dutch, English and Portuguese traders. Is the people’s history or one malcontent’s view from the safe distance of his privileged position? What was Columbus really guilty of? The indigenous peoples of the Americas were certainly aggressive enough amongst themselves and engaged in similar acts of war and con...

|2010-02-11 21:03:06 Thehaymarketbomber - Dr Kazin's critique

I read Dr Kazin's critique and I have to admit that he is correct in a very narrow sense. Mr Kazin does fail to point out the failings of the left. Of course it may be that he gave his readers credit for being aware of those failings, or perhaps he simply relied on the likes of Dr Kazin to do so ad nauseum. His thesis that the only time that the American proletariat took the bit in its teeth and really threatened the establishment was at the turn of the last century remains valid. Much of the history of the twentieth century is the story of that revolt being systematically crushed. The result is our present pathetic situation.

|2010-03-12 21:07:58 vincent joy - "Revolts" systematically crushed

"Much of the history of the twentieth century is the story of that revolt being systematically crushed. The result is our present pathetic situation."

Well, if they were so easily crushed, they could not have had much support. I'll presume you mean "our present pathetic situation" the result of us having elected this idiot Obama. I can't imagine you mean that we're pathetic for being the richest nation in man's history...the result of Capitalism, by the way!