Historian Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States offers a sweeping account of American history told from the ground up—eschewing the traditional focus on presidents and political elites to highlight the experiences of ordinary people. Rather than echoing the standard textbook narrative, Zinn centers his storytelling on life in the streets, homes, and workplaces of the nation.

Renowned for its engaging, accessible style and rigorous scholarship, this landmark work stands out for giving voice to those often left out of mainstream history—women, factory workers, African Americans, Native Americans, immigrants, and the working poor. Zinn reveals how many of America’s most pivotal struggles—over fair wages, labor rights, universal suffrage, racial and gender equality—were led not from the top down, but by grassroots movements facing fierce opposition.

Spanning from the arrival of Christopher Columbus to the early years of the Clinton administration, A People’s History offers fresh perspectives on the key events that shaped the nation. This edition also includes an introduction by Anthony Arnove, Zinn’s longtime collaborator and coauthor of Voices of a People’s History of the United States, and producer of The People Speak.