A Black Statue of Liberty?

Recently in class, while we were studying the construction of the Statue of Liberty several of my students asked some interesting questions...these questions show that at the very least the youth of today occassionally browse the internet for historical information, urban legends, conspiracy theories, alternative history, etc...following are 3 of the best questions with my best answers (based on primary sources and a 2 year inquiry conducted by Dr. Rebecca M. Joseph and the United States National Park Service).



Broken chains at Liberty's feet

Question 1: "Was the Statue of Liberty built to celebrate the contributions of African-American soldiers during the Civil War?"

Answer: No, primary source evidence can not be found to support this claim.  However, the designers of the statue were abolitionists who strongly opposed slavery and did recognize the importance of the Union victory. They intended the statue to represent a much broader celebration of liberty and Franco-American friendship...

They wanted the Statue of Liberty to symbolize:
a) The ideals of liberty emboddied in the Declaration of Independence (1776).
b) The ideals of liberty emboddied in victory over slavery in The Civil War (1865).
c) A continued pursuit of freedom in both France and America as the United States approached it's centennial celebration (1876).
 

Bartholdi's "Egypt"

 

Question 2: "Was the original design for the Statue of Liberty based on a black woman...I heard the design changed because white Americans (especially Southerners) would not accept an African-American Liberty?"

Answer: Yes, the statue's design evolved from Bartholdi's 1869 plan (and admiration for the monuments of Egypt) to build a colossal monument (based on Egyptian women as models) in Egypt to celebrate the opening of the Suez Canal...this plan was rejected by Egyptian officials. Many elements of his "Egypt" can clearly be seen in his "Liberty".  It is also true that Bartholdi's early design included Lady Liberty holding a broken shackle and chain in her left hand and broken chains at her feet. This design was changed to tablets inscribed "July IV, MDCCLXXVI” (July 4, 1776) not to appease racists, but to emphasize a broader vision (1776, 1865, 1876, future hope) of liberty for all of humanity.

"The Statue of Immigrants?"

Question 3: "Was the Statue of Liberty always considered a symbol of welcoming European immigrants?"

Answer: No, the interpretation of the statue as a monument to American immigrants is a twentieth-century phenomenon. Liberty (1871-1886), in her early years was almost universally discussed in relation to the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and abolition of slavery. The more popular view as the statue symbolizing immigration began with the exhibition of Emma Lazarus' poem "The New Colossus" in 1903 and as Nativists/ the United States government attempted to Americanize immigrant families/ sell World War I War Bonds. The "immigrant interpretation" gained even greater momentum as Americans prepared for WWII. The symbolic use of the Statue of Liberty in these endeavors contributed greatly to the predominant (yet incorrect) understanding that the statue's original purpose was to welcome and symbolize the many contributions of immigrants. It seems simple...The Statue of Liberty symbolizes liberty!