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"Democracy doesn't come from the top. It comes from the bottom. Democracy is not what governments do. It's what people do." (From interview with Bill Moyers in January 2009)

“Historically, government, whether in the hands of Republicans or Democrats, conservatives or liberals, has failed its responsibilities until forced to by direct action: sit-ins and Freedom Rides for the rights of black people, strikes and boycotts for the rights of workers, mutinies and desertions of soldiers in order to stop a war. Voting is easy and marginally useful, but it is a poor substitute for democracy, which requires direct action by concerned citizens.” (From "Election Madness," The Progressive, March 2008)

"To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness… And if we do act, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory." (From "The Optimism of Uncertainty," The Nation, September 2, 2004)

"A lot of people in the world think that this war in Iraq is an aberration, that before this the United States was a benign power. It has never been a benign power.” (From "American Empire is 'Crumbling,'" interview with Howard Zinn, September 11, 2008)

“His writings have changed the consciousness of a generation and helped open new paths to understanding and its crucial meaning for our lives. When action has been called for, one could always be confident that he would be on the front lines, an example and trustworthy guide.” (Noam Chomsky)

Read and learn more: Democracy Now! Zinn archive

Alice Walker on Howard Zinn, Boston Globe, January 31, 2010

Much more here on Howard Zinn's website