Welcome to brain Stuff production of I Heart Radio, Pay brain Stuff Lauren boge Obam. Here these iconic words are etched into a bronze plaque located in the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these the homeless tempest tossed to me. I lift my lamp beside the golden door.
The words are part of the New Colossus, the Sonnet written in three by fifth generation American Jew M. A. Lazarus. She wrote the New Colossus to help raise money for the pedestal of the new statue at the request of a friend. Lazarus, at that time was also known for working with East European Jewish refugees, and new a poem of such significance could bring attention to the plight of
refugees coming to America. But today Lazarus's words and the original intention behind the Sonnet have raised new questions about the meaning of the Statue of Liberty and what it represents. So how did Lady Liberty come to the US and what does this copper statue that's stood in New York Harbor for so many decades symbolize is she still really
a beacon of freedom? To millions around the world. The Statue of Liberty has become such a legendary representation of New York City and America itself, it's hard to imagine a time before it found a place in the skyline. It all began in the eighteen sixties when French poet and anti slavery activist Eduard de la Boulay proposed the idea of a post Civil War commemoration of America's newfound
freedoms and democracy. He believed France should give a great monument as a gift to the United States to celebrate both the Union's victory in the Civil War and the abolition of slavery. The idea resonated with a young French sculptor named Frederic August bartle Dy, who had been experimenting with large scale works. Barkele Dy started drafting designs, and the original goal was to complete the ambitious artistic endeavor by eighteen seventy six, to mark the centennial of the
American Declaration of Independence. The she was set to represent the goodwill between America and France. There was a little financial snag though well a big financial snag in both participating nations. To raise the necessary funds for construction, the French government introduced everything from public fees to a fundraising lottery, and the United States held auctions and benefit theatrical events, and Lazarus penned the new Colosses for the Art and
Literary auction to help generate money for the pedestal. While all this was taking place, bartol D recruited an experienced engineer to help troubleshoot structural issues with the massive sculpture enter, Alexander Gustav Eiffel and the man responsible for another internationally
recognized architectural wonder, the Eiffel Tower. Together with bartl D, Eiffel helped design the four hundred and fifty thousand pounds structure that's about two hundred thousand kilograms, and specifically had a hand in planning out the iron pylon and secondary scaltal framework. The Statue of Liberty was finally completed in France in July of eighty four and arrived in three hundred and fifty individual pieces packed in two hundred and
fourteen crates. In New York Harbor in June of eight five, ten years after her original projected debut, The Statue of Liberty became an official New York City icon, and President Grover Cleveland oversaw the official dedication ceremony on October eighteen, eighty six. Lady Liberty herself has a full and proper name, the Statue of Liberty, Enlightening the World. The statue's face
was apparently inspired by the face of Berkeld's mother. Made from iron steel and three hundred layers of hand hammered copper, weighing thirty one tons, Lady Liberty herself stands approximately a hundred and eleven feet that's thirty four meters tall. She reaches an astounding three hundred five ft or ninety three ms if you take her pedestal and torch into account, that's the equivalent height of a twenty two story building.
The copper coating her is three thirty seconds of an inch thick or about two point five millimeters, which happens to be the same thicknes as two American pennies placed together, while the internal structure is comprised of cast iron and stainless steel. As for her, signature green hue. That's due
to the natural oxidation of that copper coating. When the statue was originally completed in eighteen eighty six, she had more of a copper penny tinge, but over about three decades the brown hue fully oxidized to form the sea green color, otherwise known as a patina four. The statue got to make over when her original torch was replaced by a new copper one covered in twenty four carrot gold leaf. The original torch is on display at the
monument's museum. While the Statue of Liberty emerged from a desire to represent an alliance between America and France, its core meaning is a mutual desire for freedom liberty for all people all over the world. It's no accident that the Statue of Liberty was placed to face southeast. From that vantage point, she makes a perfect welcoming symbol for
visitors and immigrants from her home on Liberty Island. The seven pointed crown on her head symbolizes the seven continents, seven seas, and the broken shackles at her feet represent freedom from oppression. Lady Liberty possesses a few other symbols as well, She's holding a tablet in her left hand inscribed with the date July four, seventeen seventy six, the date of American independence, written in Roman numerals, and that giant torch in her right hand. It's meant to represent enlightenment,
a fitting accessory for liberty enlightening the world. As for the Lazarus poem, some history experts, like Robert J. McNamara believe that while bart Goldie had originally envisioned Lady Liberty as a symbol of America exuding its own freedom, the new colossus represented America as a refuge for oppressed people seeking liberty, and an understanding by people born as American citizens that had we been born elsewhere, we might be
similarly seeking liberty from oppression and suffering. While there may be countless interpretations, dissections, and misreadings of Lady Liberty's many possible meanings, one thing is for sure. She has indeed served as america One woman welcome committee for well over a century. When the US government opened a federal immigration station on Ellis Island in eight two, about twelve million immigrants were eventually processed there before receiving permission to enter
the country. All of whom were greeted by the site of the Statue of Liberty nearby. Today, the Statue of Liberty remains a major attraction for citizens and visitors from all over the world. Approximately four point five million people make the pilgrimage to see her every year. One of the most popular attractions is climbing up to her crown, which has twenty five windows overlooking New York City and
the Harbor. It's a strenuous climb up a tight spiral staircase, but visitors are rewarded with panoramic views of Brooklyn as well as Gustav's original supporting iron and steel framework. The American Jewish Historical Society is leading a three year initiative called the mL Lazarus Project, which teaches students about the woman who penned the new colossus. Part of the project as a nationwide contest calling for new poems about the statue. Winners will be announced in May of To learn more,
go to a j h S dot org. Today's episode was written by Michelle Konstantinovski and produced by Tyler Clang. Brain Stuff is a production of iHeart Radio's How Stuff Works. For more in this and lots of other grand topics, visit our home planet, how stuff works dot com, and for more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit the I heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows