Michael Miller Topp, University of Texas at El Paso

Although the question of their guilt or innocence is still unresolved over 75 years after Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were executed, one thing remains clear.  Their identity – in both ethnic and political terms – had a decisive impact on the conduct of their trial and ultimately cost them their lives.  Their case has enduring relevance because the danger it exposed continues to exist – the danger that a frequently frightened society will overreact to perceived threats.