A Real Alternative History

Before I get started, Howard Zinn and I are pretty tight. We have been for several years, and likely will continue to be for many more. But the thing with Zinn is although he writes a history for the oppressed, often telling of the seedy underbelly of America's commonly taught celebratory history, he hasn't exactly been a member of the downtrodden communities himself. And I'd say that's a good thing for him. I don't think oppression is worth the possibility of a resulting book deal. However, in Black Elk Speaks we're really being presented with an alternative history from the point of view of someone who is a member of one of the downtrodden communities of American history. Although, and I reiterate, oppression is not worth the book deal, by hearing from someone who has genuinely experienced such hard times, a new point of view is made available to everyone willing to read it. It's like this: The Tallest Man on Earth did an awesome cover of "I Want You" by Bob Dylan. (Link: http://www.daytrotter.com/dt/the-tallest-man-on-earth-concert/20030843-3738157.html) Here is an artist who was clearly influenced greatly by the folk legend, and he does his best to get Bob's message across while adding his own style. And that's respectable, but at the same time he isn't Bob Dylan and never will be. In the case of this analogy, Howard Zinn is The Tallest Man on Earth.