Rethinking the Statue of Liberty

When the Statue of Liberty was installed with great fanfare, speeches, and a celebration of close to 1 million in 1886, no one mentioned immigration, nor did they mention abolition. The association with immigration only came with the passage of decades, and the arrival of millions of immigrants. The formative connection to abolition, the original inspiration for the Statue, was barely known at the time and had long been obscured.

Rethinking the Statue of Liberty brings together experts to resituate the story of this iconic statue. The program features award-winning actress and playwright Anna Deavere Smith who will bring some of the original texts around Lady Liberty to life. Writer Clint Smith, historian Edward Berenson, and sociologist Nancy Foner will explore the tensions and contradictions inherent in the Statue’s symbolism, how the Statue’s meaning shaped American history, and how our current moment reflects the debates during Lady Liberty’s first decade. Dr. Annie Polland, President of the Tenement Museum, will moderate the discussion.