The New York premiere!

MoMA Documentary Fortnight 2009
The Museum of Modern Art
11 West 53 Street
New York, NY 10019

Roy and Niuta Titus Theaters 1 & 2
(Theater 1: full program; Theater 2: screening only)

Directed by Howard Zinn, Anthony Arnove, and Chris Moore.

With Kerry Washington, John Legend, Matt Damon, Rosario Dawson, Benjamin Bratt, Marisa Tomei, Danny Glover, Josh Brolin, Viggo Mortensen, Sandra Oh, Eddie Vedder, and others.

The People Speak is inspired by Howard Zinn's books A People's History of the United States and Voices of a People's History (co-authored with Anthony Arnove). Examples of resistance to social injustice throughout U.S. history inspire viewers to recognize the power of ordinary people to enact momentous change. The voices of lesser-known activists are heard alongside those of icons like Martin Luther King and Harriet Tubman to create a stirring record of civil disobedience as a defining characteristic of American political life.

Followed by readings, musical performances, and discussion with

Howard Zinn
Chris Moore
Anthony Arnove

and special guests, including:

Staceyann Chin
Michael Ealy
Rich Robinson of The Black Crowes
David Strathairn
Marisa Tomei
Kerry Washington
Harris Yulin

135 min. program running time (film and program)
90 min. film running time

Directions and ticket information:

Ticket information
http://www.moma.org/visit_moma/admissions.html

Directions:
http://www.moma.org/visit_moma/

Spoken word event
Free admission

The People Speak: Voices of a People’s History of the United States (the basis of the forthcoming documentary The People Speak) brings to light little known voices from U.S. history, including those of women, African Americans, Native Americans, immigrants, and laborers. By giving public expression to rebels, dissenters, and visionaries from our past — and present — we work to educate and inspire a new generation of people working for social justice.

This live performance with Howard Zinn features readings by Benjamin Bratt, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson, Q’Orianka Kilcher, and Marisa Tomei, and includes musical performances.

http://festival.sundance.org/2009/film_events/films/the_people_speak_voices_of_a_peoples_history_of_the_united_states/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHthW6kh-N8

http://socialistworker.org/2008/11/05/what-next-for-the-struggle

Those of us on the Left who have criticized Obama, as I have, for his failure to take bold positions on the war and on the economy, must join the exultation of those Americans, black and white, who shouted and wept Tuesday night as they were informed that Barack Obama had won the presidential election. It is truly a historic moment, that a black man will lead our country. The enthusiasm of the young, black and white, the hopes of their elders, cannot simply be ignored.

There was a similar moment a century and a half ago, in the year 1860, when Abraham Lincoln was elected president. Lincoln had been criticized harshly by the abolitionists, the anti-slavery movement, for his failure to take a clear, bold stand against slavery, for acting as a shrewd politician rather than a moral force. But when he was elected, the abolitionist leader Wendell Phillips, who had been an angry critic of Lincoln’s cautiousness, recognized the possibility in his election.

Phillips wrote that for the first time in the nation’s history “the slave has chosen a President of the United States.” Lincoln, he said, was not an abolitionist, but he in some way “consents to represent an antislavery position.” Like a pawn on the chessboard, Lincoln had the potential, if the American people acted vigorously, to be moved across the board, converted into a queen, and, as Phillips said, “sweep the board.”

Obama, like Lincoln, tends to look first at his political fortunes instead of making his decisions on moral grounds. But, as the first African American in the White House, elected by an enthusiastic citizenry which expects a decisive move towards peace and social justice, he presents a possibility for important change.

Obama becomes president in a situation which cries out for such change. The nation has been engaged in two futile and immoral wars, in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the American people have turned decisively against those wars. The economy is shaken by tremendous blows, and is in danger of collapsing, as families lose their homes and working people, including those in the middle class, lose their jobs, So the population is ready for change, indeed, desperate for change, and “change” was the word most used by Obama in his campaign.

What kind of change is needed? First, to announce the withdrawal of our troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, and to renounce the Bush doctrine of preventive war as well as the Carter doctrine of military action to control Mideast oil. He needs to radically change the direction of U.S. foreign policy, declare that the U.S. is a peace loving country which will not intervene militarily in other parts of the world, and start dismantling the military bases we have in over a hundred countries. Also he must begin meeting with Medvedev, the Russian leader, to reach agreement on the dismantling of the nuclear arsenals, in keeping with the Nuclear Anti-Proliferation Treaty.

This turn-around from militarism will free hundreds of billions of dollars. A tax program which will sharply increase taxes on the richest 1% of the nation, and will tax their wealth as well as their income, will yield more hundreds of billions of dollars.

With all that saved money, the government will be able to give free health care to everyone, put millions of people to work (which the so-called free market has not been able to do). In short, emulate the New Deal program, in which millions were given jobs by the government. This is just an outline of a program which could transform the United States and make it a good neighbor to the world.

###

(written for l'Humanité in Paris)

Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB-fGG4IVV4

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6naT3fs440

Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdFt5oqk3JY

*

Howard Zinn interview on "The Hour" with George Stroumboulopoulos
September 25, 2008
CBC

"History textbook" doesn't exactly scream "best seller." But hey, A People's History of the United States -- not exactly your typical textbook. And Howard Zinn -- not your typical academic.

Video of the interview is now available at:

http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/videos.html?id=867911317

*

Howard Zinn multi-part interview on the Real News Network

http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=34&Itemid=74&jumival=howard+zinn&search=search

To honor Distinguished Visiting Scholar Howard Zinn, Suffolk University and the Boston Playwright’s Theatre join in a celebration of Howard Zinn’s writing for the stage. Zinn, Professor Emeritus at Boston University, is a long-time activist and author of numerous books, including A People’s History of the United States: 1492 to the Present (2006), A Power Governments Cannot Suppress (2007), and You Can’t Be Neutral on a Moving Train: A Personal History of Our Times (2002).

Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Emma

November 20-22, 2008
Shouting Theatre in a Crowded Fire

For more details please visit:

http://www.suffolk.edu/college/30463.html

For media coverage see:

Boston Playwrights' Theatre Announces 2008-2009 Season, Zinn Fest
Dan Bacalzo
Theater Mania
Aug 29, 2008
http://www.theatermania.com/content/news.cfm/story/15115

"Zinn Fest on tap"
Home / A&E / Celebrity news
The Boston Globe
September 4, 2008
http://www.boston.com/ae/celebrity/articles/2008/09/04/mmm_mmm_good_cause/

Suffolk kicks off ZinnFest!
Clay Adamczyk
The Suffolk Journal
October 29, 2008
http://media.www.suffolkjournal.net/media/storage/paper632/news/2008/10/29/Arts/Suffolk.Kicks.Off.Zinnfest-3513296.shtml

"It is sad to see both major parties agree to spend $700 billion of taxpayer money to bail out huge financial institutions that are notable for two characteristics: incompetence and greed. There is a much better solution to the financial crisis. But it would require discarding what has been conventional wisdom for too long: that government intervention in the economy ("big government") must be avoided like the plague, because the "free market" can be depended on to guide the economy toward growth and justice. Surely the sight of Wall Street begging for government aid is almost comic in light of its long devotion to a "free market" unregulated by government."

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20081027/zinn

*

"Comment: In Defense of Studs Terkel"
Howard Zinn
The Nation
November 6, 2008

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20081124/zinn

Our interview with the people's historian, Howard Zinn
Boulder Weekly
October 2-8, 2008
http://www.boulderweekly.com/20081002/howardzinn.html

"Zinn and Arnove are bringing this work to film with the support of Matt Damon and Chris Moore, who previously collaborated as producers on the television series Project Greenlight, and whose formidable powers as producers enabled them to greenlight such a unique project. In this special Mavericks presentation, the audience will be treated to a sneak preview of clips from the documentary The People Speak, along with a discussion on stage between Zinn, Damon, Moore and actor Josh Brolin (who performs in the project) about the process and their motivations. This continues a Mavericks tradition of giving Festival audiences a sneak peak at works-in-progress. In 2006, Michael Moore tried out early clips of Sicko, and in 2007, Larry Charles and Bill Maher showed samples of Religulous, which premieres at this year's Festival.

"The People Speak combines archival footage with new performances, the actors embodying voices full of courage and passion. For anyone who found school-book history dull, this version is an invigorating change."

http://tiff08.ca/filmsandschedules/films/peoplespeak

And see also the coverage in the New York Times:

More Fun, Less Politics, at Toronto Film Festival
By MICHAEL CIEPLY
September 5, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/06/movies/06fest.html

ARTS, BRIEFLY
Oh, Canada. Never Mind.
By MICHAEL CIEPLY; compiled by JULIE BLOOM
September 8, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/09/movies/09arts-OHCANADANEVE_BRF.html

Josh Brolin stars as George W. Bush in the film W and appears in the film Milk. His documentary television series, The People Speak, will air in 2009.

A People's History of the United States
By Howard Zinn

"I've known Howard for a long time-right now I'm producing a 15-hour educational series with him and Chris Moore, Anthony Arnove, and Matt Damon called The People Speak, which is based on our trips across the country, reading from the book. We've gotten amazing people to do songs and speeches, from Eddie Vedder to Sean Penn to Viggo Mortensen. I think it's an incredibly rebellious book, because it's from the point of view of the citizens and victims. I was appalled to learn of the atrocities committed and allowed by our country throughout history. For instance, you hear about slavery, and yes, you feel you have a good perspective on what it was, but then you read this and realize that you didn't know that one-third of the people who were transported from Africa actually died on the ships. This is the most empowering book I've ever read. In fact, the reason I picked the school my girls go to is that it teaches A People's History."

http://www.oprah.com/article/omagazine/books/200810_omag_books_brolin

For two reviews of the event see:

"Acting on History"
By DAVID CARR
August 27, 2008
THE CAUCUS | New York Times

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/27/the-carpetbagger-acting-on-history/

*

"DNC: Affleck, Brolin & Moore Bring Howard Zinn to Stage and Screen"
By Karina Longworth
SPOUT Blog
Daily coverage of what is truly interesting in the film world

http://blog.spout.com/2008/08/28/dnc-affleck-brolin-moore-bring-howard-zinn-to-stage-and-screen/