Final answer:
The Sacco and Vanzetti trial uncovered the prejudices of the American justice system during the 1920s, with the case centering around two immigrants convicted of robbery and murder. It highlighted how justice was often influenced by fear of radicalism and anti-immigrant sentiment, leading to international protests and claims of a miscarriage of justice upon their execution in 1927.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Sacco and Vanzetti trial, conviction, appeals, and executions highlighted for many observers deeper issues within the American justice system and society. The case of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, two Italian immigrants known for their anarchist beliefs, became a focal point of division and controversy. Convicted with little direct evidence of a robbery and murder in Massachusetts, their trial was influenced by a prevailing nativist sentiment and fear of radicalism, particularly against immigrants and those with unconventional political views, during the era known as the Red Scare.
Public reaction was sharply divided, with many immigrants and intellectuals believing in the innocence of Sacco and Vanzetti and protesting the verdict, while others, influenced by nationalist and anti-immigrant sentiments, believed in their guilt or potential for violence due to their ideologies. Despite international protests, they were eventually executed on August 23, 1927, marking a culmination of rampant fears and prejudices of the time. The case raised questions about whether defendants were being tried for their alleged crimes or for their political beliefs and ethnic backgrounds, with many reflecting on this in retrospection as a miscarriage of justice.
The Industrial Workers of the World even called for a nationwide strike in protest of their impending execution, showing the widespread impact of the case. Noted figures such as Albert Einstein and Upton Sinclair spoke out against the verdict, while Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis, decades later, would issue a proclamation to clear their names, suggesting that their trial was unfair. The Sacco-Vanzetti case illustrated the deep-seated tensions and prejudices in American society, particularly related to immigration and radical political ideas.