W.F. Bell, CHOICE
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American Political Prisoners: Prosecutions [Under the Espionage and Sedition Acts] By Stephen M. Kohn |
This book is the first account of the lives of nearly 100 long-term political prisoners arrested under various espionage and sedition laws. The reasons for their imprisonment range from speaking out against U.S. participation in World War I to their trade union activities and unpopular political or religious beliefs.
Based on the author’s exclusive access to uncensored prison files and documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, this important text chronicles the activist and prison experiences of some of America's most famous labor, socialist and peace leaders.
"Kohn, a noted writer on civil liberties and whistle-blowing legal issues, has provided a graphic information source on how thousands of Americans had their First Amendment rights violated. The tone of this book is decidedly sympathetic with the victims...This is an excellent source for scholars and beginners alike. Recommended for academic and law libraries."
- W.F. Bell, CHOICE
"This compendium is based on examination of previously inaccessible files belonging to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), and other divisions of the Department of Justice. The first part chronicles the history and applications of laws used to imprison anyone solely on the basis of religious or political belief. The second, describe[ing] prison life, [is] based on the actual words of prisoners, their families, guards, doctors and the warden of Leavenworth penitentiary. The third documents the hundreds of union leaders, antiwar activists, socialists, and other dissidents arrested under the sedition acts, including their identities, where they came from, what they believed, length of imprisonment, and [the] type of treatment received in prison." - The Journal of American History