Nicola Sacco

About the Author

Nicola Sacco (1891–1927) was an Italian immigrant and anarchist whose life became emblematic of the struggles faced by radicals in early 20th-century America. Arriving in the United States in 1908, Sacco worked as a shoemaker while immersing himself in labor activism and anti-war sentiments, which drew the attention of authorities during the Red Scare. Arrested in 1920 alongside his comrade Bartolomeo Vanzetti for a robbery and murder he maintained innocence for, Sacco's trial exposed deep-seated prejudices against immigrants and political dissidents. From his prison cell, he penned poignant letters that captured his unyielding spirit, philosophical reflections, and profound sense of injustice. These correspondences, later compiled in The Letters of Sacco and Vanzetti (Penguin Classics), offer an intimate glimpse into the mind of a man facing execution, blending personal anguish with calls for social justice and human solidarity.