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History Channel's 'The People Speak,’ and disagree, Dec. 13

By April MacIntyre Dec 13, 2009, 23:48 GMT

Viggo Mortensen and Josh Brolin - "The People Speak" © Sylvain Gaboury / PR Photos

Tune in alert for History Channel's airing Sunday, December 13 of "The People Speak" where Hollywood reads excepted historical documents and letters illustrating divisive moments that are all part of our fractious American history.

The founders of the United States fled European tyranny and other oligarchies for freedom to live in their own way. This everyone seems to agree on.

Enter Howard Zinn, a controversial historian whose 1980 tome "A People’s History of the United States" affected actor Matt Damon, who noted it in his film, "Good Will Hunting."

Some are less kind towards Zinn's teachings, as author Daniel Flynn voiced his dissent here.

History is taught with perspective and facts, and often what is taught is revisionist and inaccurate, according to both liberal and conservative sides of this argument.

This History Channel documentary premieres at 7 p.m. Sunday.

The People Speak uses words, past and voices present to enliven ideas that were met with violence and scorn. The selected readings celebrate activism, protest politics and active social reform.

"This documentary is designed to effect and cast light on social change from the bottom up, by everyday people coming together and causing enough trouble that the changes are made," Matt Damon told M&C at the Summer TCA's in Pasadena. "Ideas of slavery, and the right of women to vote, workers' rights, all created by social rage and protest."

In the documentary, Damon reads from the Declaration of Independence.

Morgan Freeman reads Frederick Douglass’ commentary of slavery in the 1850s.

Christina Kirk and Josh Brolin read Susan B. Anthony’s letters after her courtroom trial.

Marisa Tomei reads of Genora Johnson Dollinger’s account of the pre-unionization strikes at General Motors in 1937.

David Strathairn reads retired Navy Adm. Gene La Rocque’s comments after Vietnam that there is no such thing as a "good" war.

The documentary also features dramatic and musical performances by Allison Moorer, Benjamin Bratt, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Chris Robinson, Danny Glover, Darryl "DMC" McDaniels, Don Cheadle, Eddie Vedder, Harris Yulin, Jasmine Guy, John Legend, Kathleen Chalfant, Kerry Washington, Lupe Fiasco, Martín Espada, Michael Ealy, Mike O'Malley, Q'orianka Kilcher, Reg E. Cathey, Rich Robinson, Rosario Dawson, Sandra Oh, Staceyann Chin, and Viggo Mortensen.

It is produced by Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Chris Moore, Anthony Arnove, and Howard Zinn, co-directed by Moore, Arnove and Zinn,