Monday, December 14, 2009

Watched 'The People Speak' last night on History. You should catch the re-run.

The program is a narrative wandering through the history of the U.S. as told by regular people and artists. This isn't your standard 'Hitler Channel' fare. It doesn't take a linear approach to History nor does it focus on the top-down view that most historians use. Here's a good description from the discussion guide:

Every year on September 17th, Constitution Day, Americans
reflect on the meaning of the founding documents and the rights
they affirm. The People Speak offers moving examples of how people
throughout U.S. history have fought to see these ideals come to
life for all people. Slave narratives, testimonies of striking workers,
and civil rights protestors are among the moving and poignant
proclamations included in this 90-minute film. Based on the books
A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn and Voices
of a People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn and
Anthony Arnove, these performances give students an active and
fresh perspective on the people and events that have changed the
course of our nation’s history.

It's also great for people into communications studies; all of the personal accounts, letters, and prose clippings are performed much like forensic oral-interp.
There's also great music performed by Eddie Vedder, Bruce Springsteen, and others.
I'm sure it will re-run constantly just like everything else on the goood ol' "H". I highly recommend it. I plan to add the Zinn books to my Amazon wish list.
http://www.history.com/content/people-speak

Posted via email from coryk's posterous

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