Howard Zinn

February 1, 2010 3 Comments

Last week one of my heroes died. The first time I remember being with Howard Zinn was at an anti-war meeting at Boston University in 1970. Even then his strong presence guided so many of us by providing a deep historical perspective on activism and resistance and their rightful place in a healthy democracy.

He figured large in my life in the years since then. Through his writing and speaking he articulated a thoughtful rationale for an alternative point of view to traditional mainstream media analysis.

This summer, I had the distinct privilege of serving as a production assistant for my son Brendan as he interviewed Howard for a documentary that he is producing on the catholic left anti-war movement and its resistance to the Vietnam war. We spent the afternoon listening to Howard tell story after story of how very ordinary Americans throughout history live their commitments and change its course.

Last week the heart of a very extra-ordinary American stopped while taking a swim in southern California. He is missed.

Howard Zinn Outtake from Brendan Hughes on Vimeo.

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