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Examples Of Change Small Acts Multiplied By Howard Zinn

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Change; Small Acts Multiplied by A Million Howard Zinn was of Jewish decent that spent much of his youth in Lower east Manhattan , Zinn worked in the Brooklyn Navy Yard and served as a bombardier in Europe in WW II. Later attended Columbia University, received a doctorate in history in 1956, and became head of the history department at Spelman College, an African-American school in Atlanta, thus this is where Zinn’s political extremism originates. Zinn's experiences with members of the Civil Rights Movement and the Anti-War Movement shaped his philosophy on the need to make a difference beginning with one person, no matter how much of a resistance against the person. Howard Zinn depicts the struggles of political reformist during the era …show more content…

Peaceful protests, civil disobedience, exposing the truth, and speaking out for the greater morals of every event where the main movements by Zinn. Zinn believed that “small acts, when multiplied by millions of people can transform the world.”(208) The main idea of Zinns experiences as portrayed his memoir, “You Can’t Be Neutral on a Moving Train”, is that the world is constantly changing, new laws are being passed , events take place, lies are being told, oppression and thus it is left to the youth to stand up for what is just. Zinn provided an example of leadership , and exposition for the lies that were hidden from the public , he would not turn his head and would not remain …show more content…

Since prior to this time, most Americans would be less inclined to jeopardize their careers for social reform. Zinn provided an example of courage, and the voice of reason against the lies and the oppression. He believed in the true essence of democracy. People should be able to speak against what is wrong, nothing is “fixed…what had seemed immovable could move.” (34) “I learned something from this: that the high school years must be the most important years in shaping the social consciousness of young people, because at no other level do parents and school officials become more hysterical at the possibility that the students will be exposed to ideas which challenge the authority of government, of school administrations, of parents.” (119) He was set against the need to create individuals that were free thinkers, that could think what is right and wrong and speak up in a true

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