John Peter Altgeld
(1847-1902)

American Politician & Social Reformer

birthdate: December 30
birthplace: Nieder Selters, Nassau, Germany

Bio | Quotes | | ColorMe Pix

John Peter Altgeld, the first immigrant to be elected Governor of Illinois, sacrificed his political career to right an injustice. In 1893 he pardoned 3 immigrant labor activists who had been sentenced to death without a fair and impartial trial and without any real and substantial evidence. He did this knowing that the public had already concluded the immigrants were guilty and that his career would be over. Indeed, this brought him into the national spotlight, and overwhelming criticism from the national press which called him an 'anarchist,' 'socialist,' and 'murderer.'