A-Infos (en) [StruggleDiscuss] Sacco & Vanzetti book

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New 800-page book covers all aspects of Sacco and Vanzetti, and includes
photos and pictures of actual evidence used at the trial.
Bortman's book revisits case of convicted anarchists
Winchester resident Eli Bortman's recently published book, "Sacco &
Vanzetti," discusses how the two immigrants may have been railroaded
into a path that led to execution because of their political views.
While the famous 1927 Boston murder trial occurred decades ago, Bortman
said it is still relevant to what is taking place in America today.
"I'm not sure how many middle-eastern people are locked-up by our
government right now," he said. "Obviously, it's a different group of
people and for a different reason, but the situation is the same."

In April 1920, shoe factory worker Nicola Sacco and fish-peddler
Bartolomeo Vanzetti were arrested under suspicion of murdering a
factory paymaster and guard in Braintree. Both Sacco and Vanzetti
were Italian immigrants and anarchists, and were put to death
seven years later in the electric chair for the crime. The arrest,
trial, conviction and execution of the two men stirred up a huge
controversy, and the struggle of the groups who supported Sacco
and Vanzetti eventually led to changes in the law to prevent
"miscarriages of justice."

"The significance of the trial is that the question of guilt or
innocence is still not resolved for lots of people," said Bortman.

Bortman said he was asked to write "Sacco & Vanzetti" for the "New
England Remembers" series, which offers concise, authoritative
narratives of the most memorable events and people in the area's
history. He began researching the topic at Tufts University, where
he studied in the 1960s. There he came upon a three-foot high
bookshelf completely devoted to the duo. Bortman said this included
a complete transcript of the trial, including all of its appeals,
which measured approximately six volumes in length.

"The difficulty with a topic like this is that it all happened too
long ago to be able to do some original research," he said.

Currently a resident of Briarwood Lane and professor of business
and constitutional law at Babson College, Bortman originally moved
to Medford in the 1960s from New Jersey to study at Tufts. After
taking classes at the Boston University Law School, he became a
Winchester resident in 1967. He began teaching at the college level
10 years ago after a career as a specialist in tax and corporate law
for John Hancock Financial ServicesWhile teaching at Suffolk
University, he met a professor who was editing a history book who
asked Bortman to write a few small chapters. In the past several
years, Bortman said he ended up writing on different topics ranging
from the Lindbergh baby to Ben Franklin.

"It covered a variety of historical things," he said.

A couple years ago, Bortman said the professor he met during those
years became the editor of the "New England Remembers" series. He
said the series' publisher wanted to put together a whole collection
of books aimed at the tourist and gift shop trade covering memorable
New England events. While others wrote about the Coconut Grove fire
or the hurricane of 1938, Bortman wrote about Sacco and Vanzetti.

"It's not a text book or something you'd find in the hardcover
section," he said.

The 80-page book covers all aspects of Sacco and Vanzetti, and
includes photos and pictures of actual evidence used at the trial.
As for his next writing assignment, Bortman said he was recently
tabbed to write a few small pieces for an encyclopedia on civil
liberties.

Another history on the Mafia in North America called ' Blood and
Honor ' includes a confession from a New England mobster to the
crime the anarchists died for.



Communists and anarchists united to defend S&V
by Ned Saturday April 16, 2005 at 01:03 PM



Unlike some rightwingers who pose as anarchists, who spend all
their time trying to drive a wedge been anarchist and leftist
activists, the Sacco and Vanzetti campaign showed how activists
from both left traditions can unite to fight for common goals.
It is a lesson we should all learn.

Visit http://www.courttv.com/archive/greatesttrials/sacco.vanzetti/fight.html for details.

www.courttv.com/archive/greatesttrials/sacco.vanzetti/fight.html


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