Today would have been Howard Zinn’s 90th birthday, had he still been alive. The world has lost one of its great moral compass and a great voice for human rights and anti-imperialism with his death.

From Common Dreams:

The late historian, writer and activist Howard Zinn would have turned 90 years old today. Zinn died of a heart attack at the age of 87 on January 27, 2010. After serving as a bombardier in World War II, Zinn went on to become a lifelong dissident and peace activist. He was active in the civil rights movement and many of the struggles for social justice over the past 50 years. In 1980, Howard Zinn published his classic book, "A People’s History of the United States," which would go on to sell more than a million copies and change the way we look at history in America.
http://www.commondreams.org/...

A great video on Zinn's thoughts can be seen here:

He let me see what my teachers would not let me see. He gave me a mission in life i.e., to do my best in correcting the wrongs of society. Most importantly, he taught me something that prophets, sages and saints could not…he taught me to be a better person.

Rest in Peace, Howard Zinn. I hope your legacy lives on and continues to inspire people of conscience.

I urge everyone who hasn't to read the People's History of the United States to read it. It is available for free here:

A People's History of the United States - pdf - 622 pages