Statue of liberty poem give me your tired12/15/2023 It was the first entry read at the exhibit’s opening on November 2, 1883. She wrote the sonnet “The New Colossus” in 1883. So Emma had to be persuaded to write something for the fundraising effort. The “Art Loan Fund Exhibition in Aid of the Bartholdi Pedestal Fund for the Statue of Liberty” was raising money for the construction of the pedestal.Īt first she refused. Poet Emma Lazarus was asked to donate an original poem for an auction of art and literary works. A Davenport, Iowa, kindergarten class mailed in a donation of $1.35. Joseph Pulitzer created a program to raise $100,000 ($2.3 million today). Laboulaye died the year before, having never seen the finished work.Īlthough the French government agreed to pay to transport the statue to America, the pedestal still had to be built. The framework was designed and built by Gustave Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower fame).Īfter years of designing, fundraising, building, and with several trips to America, Bartholdi and his extensive team finally completed the statue in 1884. He discussed his idea with sculptor Frederic Bartholdi in 1865, who was inspired to design the statue. As a supporter of the Union’s efforts during the Civil War, he saw the monument as “a common work of both our nations,” freedom for France and an end to slavery in America. Édouard René de Laboulaye (la-bō-lay’) was president of the French Anti-Slavery Society. Most obscure is what prompted the writing of the poem. Even less well known is that these familiar words are from a largely unknown poem. People don’t know what prompted France to design, build, and donate the statue to America. President Grover Cleveland presided over the event.īut as with every aspect of American history, there’s a lot more to the story. After the parts were reassembled and the pedestal was constructed, the statue was dedicated on October 28, 1886. The poem title was a reference to the Greek Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.įrance gave the statue to America in 1885. ![]() She donated the poem to raise money for the construction of the pedestal for the Statue of Liberty. American poet Emma Lazarus (1849-1887) wrote the poem “The New Colossus” in 1883. This oft-quoted phrase is actually a small part of a poem. It’s used to promote unfettered and unrestricted immigration. “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses …” is on a plaque of the Statue of Liberty pedestal.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |