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Howard Zinn was a man of the people and their champion, and as such sometimes the object of derision by the establishment, the greedy, the corrupt, and their compliant goon-robot-constituencies.
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An old colleague of his was asked how Zinn would be remembered, and he replied that he wasn't sure how others would recall him, but his memory of Howard would be to picture him walking across the campus, tousled hair, rumpled pants, same sweater, and eating a banana.
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Zinn was of an uncommon, almost spiritual political perspective -- not unlike his friend Noam Chomsky, my fellow high school alumnus though not classmate -- who put integrity, sincere moral decency and humanity upon the dais of his scholarly works, a rare breed not unlike in character from my small group of social-miscast friends (You know who you are!) in St Augustine (FL) and the Hastings extension.
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As an academic, Zinn was the rare historian who elevated truth and broadened the scope of history beyond the usual narrow, stilted record of the leaders, ogres and winners.
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Howard Zinn's death caught me in the middle of the cartoon version of his book, "A People's History of American Empire," a Christmas gift from my wife, who was aware of my respect and affection for him, and who perhaps surmised that my comprehension would profit from the cartoon form rather than the academic presentation.
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I recall the many times Howard Zinn enlightened and entertained me "live" in computer clips and in all too rare occasions on PBS television. And I will miss him very much.
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.......Mourning, Rafe Pilgrim
