Sacco and Vanzetti

Arthur Garfield Hays and the Fight for Equality, 1925–1954

January 7, 2026 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Confronting Racism: Arthur Garfield Hays and the Fight for Equality, 1925–1954 (SUNY Press, 2025) by Richard F. Hamm explores how and why an elite member of the legal profession, Arthur Garfield Hays, confronted and fought against the ingrained racism of his society, illuminating key aspects of the long civil rights era.

Beginning in 1925 the corporate lawyer and civil libertarian Arthur Garfield Hays (1881 – 1954) began battling segregation. Best known as a co-founder and general counsel of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and for participating in notable cases including the Sacco and Vanzetti trial. [Read more…] about Arthur Garfield Hays and the Fight for Equality, 1925–1954

New York State Deportation Raids & The First Red Scare

December 12, 2025 by John Warren 2 Comments

The Palmer Raids are generally understood by professional historians to have been unconstitutional, aggressive and abusive mass arrests and deportations of political enemies in 1919 and 1920. The raids and deportations in 36 cities, but especially in New York State, provoked a national reaction focused on protecting the human rights and civil liberties won during the American Revolution.

The Palmer Raids, in conjunction with raids conducted by New York State’s Lusk Committee, were some of the most egregious constitutional violations in the era now known disreputably as “The First Red Scare.” At the time the American understanding of the social contract was being intensely debated as part of a great international war between the haves and the have-nots. [Read more…] about New York State Deportation Raids & The First Red Scare

Katherine Anne Porter: Saratoga County’s Pulitzer Prize Winner

January 16, 2025 by Guest Contributor 1 Comment

Saratoga County, NY has attracted more than its share of literary lights, whether they have spent time at the Yaddo retreat or taken in “health, history and horses.” One of these writing notables is a point of pride for residents of the town of Malta.

Katherine Anne Porter, a recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, lived in Malta and owned a home there. [Read more…] about Katherine Anne Porter: Saratoga County’s Pulitzer Prize Winner

Sacco and Vanzetti

We Need Your Help Now More Than Ever

New York Almanack receives no public funds.

It’s supported only by readers like you.

Please give today (a monthly recurring gift is best)