Righting an historic wrong

The Montana Sedition Project is leading the effort to urge Governor Brian Schweitzer to grant posthumous pardons to 40 men and one woman who, in 1918 and 1919, were convicted and incarcerated at the Montana State Penitentiary for terms of up to 20 years because they criticized the government during wartime. Another 36 persons were convicted but did not go to prison. Seems that they're making headway:

Pardon proponents optimistic they have Schweitzer's support

Although the plot to right a wrong hinges on Gov. Brian Schweitzer's blessing, an air of optimism hangs over a recent effort to pardon 77 Montanans convicted of felony sedition during the tail end of World War I.

Standing at the vanguard of the “Sedition Project” is a group of University of Montana law and journalism students and two UM professors... (T)he group formally petitioned Schweitzer's office, beseeching him to restore a sense of justice sullied by the now-defunct anti-speech law....

And while nothing is certain yet, Schweitzer has publicly denounced the convictions and pledged his support to the project, which has already garnered national attention...

A fine way to combine a sense of history with a sense of justice... The history of the Northwest at the end of the Great War is fascinating, and this project appeals to the p.d. and the history major in me. I've been following it ever since Professor Godsey posted about it on CrimProf Blog.

Bonus links go to

* MT: The Captain Who Fought World War I in Butte, Montana

* WA: Industrial Workers of the World -- A Snapshot History

* WA: Centralia's Union Mural - "The Resurrection of Wesley Everest" Depicts Labor's Side of the Centralia Massacre

* WA: The Seattle General Strike Project

Update 04/20/06:

Professor Jeff Renz of the University of Montana Law School sent out an e-mail message yesterday, stating: "I am pleased to announce that on May 3, 2006, Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer will grant full and unconditional pardons to 77 men and women who were convicted of violating Montana's sedition act during 1918-1919 by speaking unpopular words."

Thanks to 13th Juror for the news.