Howard Zinn (August 24, 1922 - January 27, 2010) was an American historian and political scientist. Zinn's philosophy incorporated ideas from Marxism, anarchism, socialism, and social democracy. Since the 1960s, he was a visible figure in the Civil Rights and anti-war movements in the United States. He was also a staunch opponent of the death penalty. An author of over 20 books, including the bestseller A People's History of the United States, Zinn was Professor Emeritus in the Political Science Department at Boston University. Read more on Last.fm