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Voices of a People's History | Student Performance
Join an ensemble of student voices for a showcase of Zinn's subjects through a musical and spoken word celebration of dissent, change, and civic growth.
Join an ensemble of student voices for a showcase of Zinn's subjects through a musical and spoken word celebration of dissent, change, and civic growth.
The event features musical and spoken word performances from Black women and nonbinary artists, inspired by the Black women writers featured in the acclaimed book I Know What the Red Clay Looks Like, edited by Rebecca Carroll. Featuring live performances by Alyson Palmer, Dael Orlandersmith, Erica Ford, Italy Lee, J Wortham, Kimberly Drew, Martha Redbone, Raquel Willis, Regina Fleming, Sol Street, Sydni Johnson, and Tressie McMillan Cottom. Narrated by Rebecca Carroll and Haley Pessin.
Presented by the Diversity and Inclusion Film Festival, Voices of a People’s History, and the Impact Lounge
This inspiring performance of Voices of the People’s History amplifies the powerful stories and voices that shape our world.
Explore the role of civic engagement for younger generations on Election Day. Join content creator Nikita Redkar as she discusses how she uses her platform to raise awareness, promote civic action, empower their communities, and inspire the new generation to become changemakers. This event concludes with a performance from Voices of a People’s History student alumna James Wilson.
At a crucial moment in our history, this special tenth anniversary event at the David Rubenstein Atrium presents a vital reimagining of Howard Zinn's subjects through a musical and spoken word celebration of dissent, change, and civic growth. Featuring Celia Keenan-Bolger, Amber Gray, Aasif Mandvi, Rosie Perez, Wallace Shawn, BD Wong, and Queen Esther, with Philip Harper and Sharp Radway.
NYU Portraits is an annual, performance-based event featuring a dynamic cast of student and celebrity performance artists, speakers, and trailblazers. This NYU tradition is a vibrant and exciting showcase where historical and contemporary movements for justice and equity come together on stage to inspire social change. This event is organized in collaboration with Voices of a People’s History of the United States.
Celebrity Cast:
Celisse, Singer
Stephanie Hsu, Actor
Danny Ramirez, Actor
Ali Stroker, Actor and Singer
NYU Student Cast:
Amina Abdiaziz (Steinhardt ’26)
Italy Ja'rae Lee (Tisch ’27)
Leilani Patao (Tisch ’26)
Naira Sarin (Tisch ’25)
Narrators:
Fred Carl, Associate Arts Professor and Co-Associate Dean of Faculty, Tisch
Renzhong Tan, Director, Center for Multicultural Education and Programs (CMEP)
Part of the Civic Saturdays series, Voices of a People’s History brings actors and musicians together to give voice to songs and readings that speak to the themes of liberty and the pursuit of happiness—from early U.S. history to the present. Featuring Jerrie Johnson, Amber Gray, Linda Diaz, Russell G. Jones, Queen Esther, Margaret Odette, Sharp Radway, and Philip Harper.
Featuring the words of Yuri Kochiyama, Viet Thanh Nguyen, and Red Canary Song, this audience-engagement event with Akemi Kochiyama will give expression to vital documents of dissent followed by a conversation moderated by Haley Pessin, who will make connections between the performance and contemporary potentials for civic engagement.
Featuring the words of Alicia Garza, Angela Davis, Tarana J. Burke, Jill Nelson, and Marge Piercy, this soap-box style reading from Staceyann Chin will examine the efforts of people throughout the U.S. to achieve life, liberty, and happiness, despite others seeking to limit or deny these rights.
This event has been canceled due to inclement weather.
Taking advantage of the open-air nature of Hearst Plaza, this soap-box-style dramatic reenactment of key speeches—examining the efforts of people throughout the U.S. to achieve life, liberty, and happiness, despite others seeking to limit or deny these rights—will both move and energize you. Featuring Jeorge Bennett Watson.
Part of the Civic Saturdays series, Voices of a People’s History brings actors and musicians together to give voice to songs and readings that speak to the themes of liberty and the pursuit of happiness—from early U.S. history to the present. Featuring Eisa Davis, J Hoard (with guitarist Sean Richey), Martha Redbone, Ryan Jamaal Swain, Ianne Fields Stewart, Jeorge Bennett Watson, and Aaron Whitby. Narrated by Anthony Arnove and Haley Pessin.
This audience-engagement event with Jeorge Bennett Watson features a brief performance giving expression to vital documents of dissent followed by a conversation moderated by Haley Pessin, who will help the audience make connections between the performance and contemporary potentials for civic engagement.
Join us on Wednesday, June 19 for Juneteenth UNITYFEST, a BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! concert co-presented by Robert Randolph Foundation, featuring readings from Voices of a People's History.
This audience-engagement event with Russell G. Jones features a brief performance giving expression to vital documents of dissent followed by a conversation moderated by a facilitator skilled at making connections between the performance and contemporary potentials for civic engagement.
The 9th iteration of this event focuses on the vital everyday epics of common men and women engaged in the life and death struggle for justice, brought to life in performance by a chorus of young student activists joined by actor Tatiana Maslany and pianist Michael Ferrara.
Join co-editors Anthony Arnove and Haley Pessin for a discussion on the twenty-first century social movements that come to life through speeches, essays, and other documents of activism, protest, and social justice in Voices of a People’s History in the 21st Century.
This Voices of a People’s History evening of discussion and performance will shed light on an all-too-often suppressed history, and in doing so, equip us with the tools to fight for a just future.
On this Election Day, join authors Kimberlé Crenshaw and Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor at the Schomburg Center for a CTLE credit-bearing experience for educators, to learn more about cutting-edge ideas in the field of Black Studies, and to receive practical, classroom-ready resources. Closing this event is a performance from Voices of a People’s History student alumnae, Fatou Thiam
In partnership with National Nurses United
The People Speak is a set of dramatic readings of selected testimonies—speeches, letters, poems, songs, petitions, and manifestos—of people throughout U.S. history who struggled against slavery, racism, war, oppression, and exploitation, and who articulated a vision for a better world. The People Speak was inspired by Howard Zinn’s legendary book A People’s History of the United States, and its companion text, Voices of a People’s History of the United States.
Narrated by Anthony Arnove and Haley Pessin
Featuring:
Abigail Breslin
Rosario Dawson
Michael Ealy
Aisha Hinds
Tatiana Maslany
Arian Moayed
Andre Royo
Nico Santos
Wallace Shawn
and Hayley Gene Penner and the tall tall buildings
This event spotlights readings and music from the social movements that have shaped our recent past, as collected in the newest Voices book, Voices of a People’s History of the United States in the 21st Century: Documents of Hope and Resistance.
NYU Portraits is an annual, performance-based event featuring a dynamic cast of student and celebrity performance artists, speakers, and trailblazers. This NYU tradition is a vibrant and exciting showcase where historical and contemporary movements for justice and equity come together on stage to inspire social change. This event is organized in collaboration with Voices of a People’s History of the United States.
Celebrity Cast:
Brandon Kazen-Maddox, Artist
Lachi, Artist
Arian Moayed, Actor
Peppermint, Actress and Singer
Anthony Ramos, Actor and Singer
NYU Student Cast:
Amina Abdiaziz (LS ’26)
Sydni Johnson (CAS ’25)
Leilani Patao (Tisch ’26)
Jace Santiago (Steinhardt ’24)
Narrators:
Michael Funk, Clinical Associate Professor and Program Director, Steinhardt
Renzhong Tan, Director, Center for Multicultural Education and Programs (CMEP)
Join us on Saturday, June 17 for Juneteenth UNITYFEST, a BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! concert co-presented by Robert Randolph Foundation, featuring readings from Voices of a People's History.
Now in its eighth year, students from Judith S. Kaye High School, N.Y.C. Lab School for Collaborative Studies, and Urban Academy Laboratory High School will bring to life these heroic voices and find personal meaning in these timeless texts.
Join leading artists and activists including Marisa Tomei, Kerry Washington, and Stephanie Hsu at The Town Hall on May 2nd for the book launch of Voices of a People's History of the United States in the 21st Century.
Celebrate Women’s History Month with the Voices of a People's History project at this dynamic musical collaboration between musician Brandee Younger and singer/actor Eisa Davis.
In collaboration with longtime Lincoln Center partner Voices of a People's History, the David Rubenstein Atrium honors the centenary of Zinn's birth with Voices of a People's History of the United States. This spoken word and musical celebration of our nation’s rich history of dissent, sets Zinn’s subjects’ words to music, alongside protest songs by rebels and visionaries of our past and present.
NYU Portraits is an annual, performance-based event featuring a dynamic cast of student and celebrity performance artists, speakers, and trailblazers. This NYU tradition is a vibrant and exciting showcase where historical and contemporary movements for justice and equity come together on stage to inspire social change.
During this webinar, educators will learn about the organization, Voices of a People's History, learn how they can get involved, experience part of the Voices curriculum, and receive resources for their classrooms.
Using the history and narratives they’ve explored this year, students will present artistic pieces covering topics within disability justice, from disabled representation in the arts to neurodivergent student self-advocacy.
This latest iteration of our now seven-year-long partnership with Lincoln Center.
Scholars and authors Imani Perry (Looking for Lorraine) and Eddie S. Glaude Jr. will discuss the 50th anniversary of the National Black Political Convention, an under-acknowledged landmark assertion of the Black freedom struggle.