this is better, but he's still purposefully forgetting to mention that jim crow was a consequence of the populist movement, and not something that happened in opposition to it. the major opposition on the ground to voting rights for blacks in the 1870s was in fact the southern farmers alliance, which is the major precursor party of the populists.

now, we can be sneaky about this - what was really going on, here? were these farmers being divided and conquered, as is the central thesis in much of zinn's work? maybe.

but, my singular point was that the contrast being presented between the populism of the 1800s as this egalitarian force and the populism of today as these racist inbreds is total revision - on the issue of race, there's broad continuity, not difference.

also, "history is written by the winners" is an ancient quote that i've seen attributed to everyone from orwell to caesar.

i might believe it was napoleon, but who knows.