Sacco and Vanzetti

Sacco and Vanzetti were two Italian-American anarchists, Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, who were wrongly accused of murder and robbery in South Braintree, Massachusetts, near Boston, in 1920. The case drew widespread attention due to the perceived injustices of the trial, which was influenced by anti-Italian sentiment, anti-immigrant sentiment, and Red Scare hysteria, fueled by the Russian Revolution and the Palmer Raids. The case became a cause célèbre, with supporters including Upton Sinclair, John Dos Passos, and Dorothy Parker, who were all involved with the American Civil Liberties Union and the International Labor Defense. The Sacco and Vanzetti Defense Committee was established to support the accused, with notable members such as Felix Frankfurter and Heywood Broun.

Background and Early Life

Nicola Sacco was born in Torremaggiore, Italy, and immigrated to the United States in 1908, settling in Milford, Massachusetts, where he worked as a shoemaker and became involved with the Industrial Workers of the World and the Italian-American anarchist community, which included figures like Luigi Galleani and Emma Goldman. Bartolomeo Vanzetti was also born in Italy, in Villafalletto, and immigrated to the United States in 1908, working as a fisherman and a peddler in Plymouth, Massachusetts, where he became friends with Aldino Felicani, a fellow anarchist. Both men were influenced by the anarchist movement and the writings of Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, Mikhail Bakunin, and Peter Kropotkin, and were involved in the Lawrence Textile Strike and the Bread and Roses strike.

The Crime and Trial

On April 15, 1920, a paymaster and a guard were murdered during a robbery in South Braintree, Massachusetts, near Boston. Sacco and Vanzetti were arrested on May 5, 1920, and charged with the crime, which was investigated by the Bureau of Investigation and the Massachusetts State Police. The trial began on May 31, 1921, and was presided over by Judge Webster Thayer, who was known for his anti-anarchist and anti-Italian views, and had previously been involved in the trial of Alexander Berkman and Emma Goldman. The prosecution, led by District Attorney Frederick G. Katzmann, presented circumstantial evidence and questionable eyewitness testimony, which was challenged by the defense team, led by Fred H. Moore and William G. Thompson, who were assisted by the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

The Case and Controversy

The trial was widely criticized for its perceived injustices, including the exclusion of Italian-American jurors, the use of questionable evidence, and the hostile attitude of the judge and prosecutor towards the defendants, which was influenced by the Red Scare and the Palmer Raids. The case became a cause célèbre, with supporters including Upton Sinclair, John Dos Passos, and Dorothy Parker, who were all involved with the American Civil Liberties Union and the International Labor Defense. The Sacco and Vanzetti Defense Committee was established to support the accused, with notable members such as Felix Frankfurter and Heywood Broun, who were assisted by the League for Industrial Democracy and the Socialist Party of America. The case also drew international attention, with protests and demonstrations held in Paris, London, and Moscow, and statements of support from figures like Albert Einstein, George Bernard Shaw, and H.G. Wells.

Execution and Aftermath

Despite widespread protests and appeals, Sacco and Vanzetti were executed by electric chair on August 23, 1927, at Charlestown State Prison in Boston, in a ceremony witnessed by Governor Alvan T. Fuller and Warden Herbert E. Wilson. The execution was widely condemned, and sparked riots and protests in Boston, New York City, and other cities around the world, including Rome, Berlin, and Tokyo. The case led to a re-examination of the death penalty and the criminal justice system in the United States, with calls for reform from figures like Clarence Darrow and Norman Thomas, who were involved with the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Legacy and Cultural Impact

The Sacco and Vanzetti case has had a lasting impact on American culture and politics, with references in literature, film, and music, including works by Upton Sinclair, John Dos Passos, and Woody Guthrie. The case has also been the subject of numerous books, documentaries, and films, including The Case of Sacco and Vanzetti and Sacco and Vanzetti, which were produced by the BBC and the PBS. The legacy of Sacco and Vanzetti continues to be felt, with ongoing debates about justice, equality, and human rights, and continued references in popular culture, including in the works of Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, and Bruce Springsteen, who have all been influenced by the American folk music tradition and the protest movement of the 1960s. Category:American history