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Exploring The People Speak on History
by Reg Seeton
In a new era of "change", one of the most significant
television events since the 2008 Election
airs December 13 on History, as Howard Zinn's
1980 historical book, A People's History of the
United States, is transformed into The People
Speak. In short, The People Speak embodies the
quote of actor Matt Damon in the movie Good Will
Hunting in which the film's character, Will Hunting,
says to professor Sean Maguire (Robin Williams),
"You want to read a real history book? Read Howard
Zinn's A People's History of the United States.
It will knock you on your ass." And Zinn's newly
transformed for television interpretation, The
People Speak, will do just that.
Filled with gripping words from the voices of some of the most notable names in American history and the direct quotes of the many faceless, marginalized, unheard and forgotten citizens that labored to create the infrastructure of the United States, The People Speak is a must see event for all Americans currently adjusting to the new age of change since, as Howard Zinn and The People Speak reveals, democracy comes from the bottom up.
 In
chronicling the history of America and previous
eras of change similar to today's sociopolitical
landscape, the many historical voices are brought
to life by some of the biggest names in the
entertainment industry, from Matt Damon, Viggo
Mortensen, David Strathairn, Sean Penn, and
Danny Glover to Marisa Tomei, Kerry Washington,
Rosario Dawson, Josh Brolin, and Michael Ealy,
with relevant musical performances by the likes
of John Legend, Alison Moorer, Eddie Vedder,
and Bob Dylan. Given the weight of the subject
matter, The People Speak features some of the
most compelling and emotional on stage performances
that rival anything the actors have done on
the big screen throughout their careers. Within
a new era of change, it was a smart decision
for Zinn and producers to tap into the new sub-era
of celebrity to give each voice the necessary
weight to make the stories relatable to viewers.
Given the many social and political challenges Americans struggle with each
day, The People Speak shows that what the people,
as a majority of minorities, face today is nothing
new in relation to the history of the United
States. Highlighting the historical differences
between the interests of the President and corporations
in contrast to those of the average American,
The People Speak focuses largely on a history
of citizen revolution and rebellion with the
hope that the past can speak to solutions for
the issues of today.
The People Speak covers a lot of historical territory, with an angle on how the America of today was created out of rebellion and by citizens who rallied against tyranny, from the creation of the Constitution and Bill of Rights out of conflict, slavery and segregation, the Civil War, and the Great Depression to the women's equality movement, civil rights, class conflict, and much more to where we are now. However, The People Speak also showcases the painful historical fallout from standing-up to challenge authority, as it questions what security means to the average person and whether the United States has truly been the land of the free. It's within those painful yet inspirational moments in time that we hear the people speak.
 Given the two party political divide that exists today, one that the doc illustrates has always been present, The People Speak will certainly speak louder to some than others. As the voices delve into history, The People Speak overtly sends a powerful message of the right to challenge authority while also showcasing a radical view of history that may not sit well with some viewers. Most evident of the direction that The People Speak takes comes fairly early when the documentary hits the Civil Rights movement and viewers get a mention of the non-violent approach of Martin Luther King yet a full speech from Malcolm X, as read by actor Michael Ealy about the right of defensive violence if violence is inflicted on the people by the government or Americans are sent to use violence overseas. Forty plus years after the fact, are people of today tolerant enough to look at it as simply a view from a different perspective? Time will tell, as you'll obviously see from historical patterns in The People Speak.
However, because of what some call the radical historical message within The People Speak, a message that's fundamentally, at its core, based on the principle of challenging authority to ensure life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in the name of democracy, the documentary is organically at odds with its target audience. Unfortunately, the history within The People Speak in relation to rebellion and a radical call to action is not truly representative of how all Americans feel. Although The People Speak is a must see television event, there are still two sides to every coin. Hopefully what viewers will take away from The People Speak is that the two sides of the coin are the bridges that need to be built between each other in real life in order for America to become a more tolerant nation.
 While
the underlying message of The People Speak urges
everyone to think for themselves in an age when
people appear to be more preoccupied, aloof,
and easily influenced than in years past, the
documentary speaks volumes about the power of
the people if citizens can recognize what’s
in the palm of their collective hand. Perhaps
the strongest statement I can make is to tell
you to watch and learn from The People Speak. Most
importantly, whether you share the same opinions
or not, don't just stop with Howard Zinn and
the many voices, use The People Speak as a launching
platform to fearlessly inform yourself so you
can truly say that you know what you're talking
about when you, the people, speak.
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