Enter Voices of A Peoples History of the United States, Zinns 2004 followup to his 1980 bestseller, and the DVD, CD, non-profit organization, in-production documentary and live-performance tours that accompany it. Finally: history from the perspective of the extraordinary (and extraordinarily underrepresented) voices who lived it, retold and sang by actors, musicians, celebrities and activists.
Its not your typical political event, says Brenda Coughlin, a member of the Voices nonprofit, about the dramatic readings and performances. These are actual words from history, so it has that, shall we say, bipartisan flavor to it. Its something that anyone can get into, even kids. They may be studying the Civil War, for example, and a lot of times teachers will bring them because its so much more enlivening than whats on the pages of their history books.
See Zinn, Voices co-author Anthony Arnove, Alternative Radio host David Barsamian and a cast of Coloradans read the actual journals, speeches, personal letters and published opinion pieces of Susan B. Anthony, Frederick Douglass, Dalton Trumbo, Mark Twain and many, many more. It all takes place tonight at 7 p.m. in Macky Auditorium on the University of Colorado at Boulder campus. Tickets range from $10 to $30. Get more information at www.peopleshistory.us/events/boulder.
Wed., Oct. 8, 7 p.m., 2008