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Sacco Vanzetti Trial- Execution August 23,1927
Personal note by Tom Damigella
The Sacco Vanzetti funeral took place at the Langone Funeral Home (photo) on Hanover Street in the North End. It was the largest attended funeral in the history of Boston
(see photos below)
This trial resonated throughout the world and it became a rallying cry for social justice and protection of the rights for all individuals (immigrants) to a fair trial regardless of political and social prejudices.
It took 7 years of appeals and controversies before they were finally executed in Charlestown Prison on August 23,1927 for the crime of murder.
In 1920,the original Defense Committee office was on 32 Battery Street in the North End at the newspaper La Notizia, which later moved to Hanover Street (1925). My mother's first cousin, Graziano Longarini, was owner and editor of the La Notizia and Aldino Felicani who was a printer at the La Notizia became the Sacco & Vanzetti Defense Committee Treasurer. He lead the cause to prove their innocents until his death in 1961.
Unfortunately, this is an important piece of history that is no longer discussed at the secondary school level.
This story not only personally touched my family, but it also impacted the entire North End community of 40,000 which at that time was essentially 100% Italian residents.
Tom Damigella
President, North End Historical Society
Complete History of the Saga of Sacco & Vanzetti
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