The author of A People’s History of the United States and this adapted version of that book for a younger audience, Howard Zinn (who died in 2010) considered himself an advocate for peace, especially after his first-hand experiences of war as a bombardier during World War II. A Young People’s History also reveals Zinn’s favorable opinion of grassroots activism and socialism. One of the main teachings throughout his work was that we are all historical actors, not merely observers, and we should all work in favor of what is best for the masses, which governments and politicians too often ignore.

Zinn was a professor of both history and political science at Spelman College and Boston University, respectively. He was also a playwright.

His purpose in writing comprehensive accounts of history was to correct patterns of misinformation he observed in students and sources like textbooks and popular culture. His wider body of work includes writings on the civil rights movement, the long labor movement, and anti-war movements. Zinn received many awards for his research and activism, including awards for peace and for literature. His work has been translated into several languages and has won awards abroad as well as in the US.