In what organizers called an effort to “rejuvenate” Boston University’s activist community, students channeled the late professor Howard Zinn and his remaining influence on campus.
“If you feel moved or excited or pissed at any of these monologues, as we hope you do, we urge you to show it,” said organizer Kristen Martin, a College of Arts and Sciences junior. “We are here to demonstrate that the voices of the oppressed still matter, especially at BU, where Zinn’s impact is still tangible.”
More than 50 students and activists cheered and yelled “amen” Monday night at the Photonics Center for a tribute to Zinn as 11 students read selections from Zinn’s book, “Voices of a People’s History of the United States.”
Commemorating Zinn, who taught at BU for more than 20 years and died in 2010, was the “right move,” said organizer Nate Goldman, a College of Communication alumnus who graduated in 2011.
“In the climate that we live in, people are given a voice more readily than they have had at any other point with the advent of new technologies,” Goldman said. “These [speeches represent] people throughout history who have spoken up and voiced their opinion when it seemed impossible.”
Martin and Goldman began putting together the reading prior to the second anniversary of Zinn’s death and held auditions in March, Goldman said.
Spanning from 1890 to 2000, the speeches recited addressed a variety of activist movements, including poor working conditions, Wall Street, war and patriotism. The readings included speeches from Martin Luther King, Jr. and Marge Piercy, among others.
CAS sophomore Chloe Skewis said during a Helen Keller reading activists “should not be an army of destruction but workers for construction.”
Audience members laughed as CAS junior Caitlin McGuire, clad in leather and plaid as Allen Ginsberg, talked about smoking marijuana every day.
Although Martin is involved with many activist groups on campus, she said she knows it is easy to become disillusioned.
“It’s easy to feel like what you’re doing, especially at a university, doesn’t matter,” she said. “This really shows and demonstrates that the people that have had the greatest impact on our country are the people who you wouldn’t expect.”
CAS junior Steven Abrams said he was “more than inspired” after the Zinn readings.
“It’s good to see stuff like this at BU,” he said. “I feel like I learn more from talks like this than in class sometimes.”
CAS sophomore Nilay Tuncok said she looked forward to Zinn’s tribute because she supports his views.
“He wrote about a different perspective in America, and I want to hear that,” Tuncock said. “I thought it was a good idea to honor him.”
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I want to congratulate all the students for their efforts to rekindle Prof Zinn’s legacy. Also, I want to note that Gunita Singh, who was featured in the photo, but without affiliation, is currently a CGS student continuing next year into CAS.
Robert Oresick