"Viva l'anarchia" 

The Sacco-Vanzetti Case

(90 Minutes)

            The Sacco-Vanzetti Case caused a world-wide sensation in the 1920’s.  Two Italian immigrants; Bartolomeo Vanzetti & Nicola Sacco - both avowed anarchists - were convicted in a Massachusetts courtroom in 1921 for the robbery & murder of a paymaster and his guard in South Braintree.

            They would spend the next six years languishing in jail while making motion after motion for new trial. After all legal avenues were exhausted, they were both sentenced to die.  On August 23rd, 1927, amid national and international demonstrations and protests, Sacco and Vanzetti were put to death on the electric chair at Charlestown State Prison.

            This slide presentation chronicles the saga the two Italian anarchists. The story begins with the robberies in Bridgewater and Braintree Massachusetts and then turns to the famous trial at Dedham and the following six years of attempts to get a new trial. Next, the worldwide protests and demonstrations will be discussed and then, finally, the last days of Sacco and Vanzetti will be highlighted with a vivid description of their sentencing and execution.

            "Viva l'anarchia" The Sacco-Vanzetti Case contains period photographs of all the major players in the case, the locations of the robberies, the courthouse, the massive demonstrations, Charlestown State Prison and the funeral procession down Hanover Street in Boston. Many of these photographs are rare and are not published anywhere. There are also many photographs of locations as they appear today.