A Poem for All Americans, About Immigration
Clip: Episode 5 | 55sVideo has Closed Captions
A look at how the poem, "The New Colossus" came to be engraved on the Statue of Liberty.
Emma Lazarus' poem "The New Colossus" was not originally chosen to be engraved at the base of the Statue of Liberty, it was actually added to the statue several years after its dedication. Here's the story behind its inclusion.
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Iconic America: Our Symbols and Stories with David Rubenstein is a production of Show of Force, DMR Productions, and WETA Washington, D.C. David M. Rubenstein is the host and executive...
A Poem for All Americans, About Immigration
Clip: Episode 5 | 55sVideo has Closed Captions
Emma Lazarus' poem "The New Colossus" was not originally chosen to be engraved at the base of the Statue of Liberty, it was actually added to the statue several years after its dedication. Here's the story behind its inclusion.
Problems with Closed Captions? Closed Captioning Feedback
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Our Symbols and Stories
David Rubenstein examines the history of America through some of its most iconic symbols, objects and places, in conversation with historical thinkers, community members and other experts. Together, they dive deep into each symbol’s history, using them as a gateway to understanding America’s past and present.Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship- It was only in the following decade, the 1930s that pro-immigration seized on her poem as a poem that was resonant, a poem that could open lectures, a poem that could be put on letterhead.
And from there on in, the poem sort of has steadily gained ground as a central poem for Americans.
And I would add that the poem began as a kind of subversive poem.
It's part of the period in which she's working for Russian Jewish refugees.
So she's talking about refugees.
And Emma Lazarus was actually very disappointed in her attempts to raise money from American Jews for the refugees.
So what she did was generalize the appeal to an appeal to all Americans about all immigrants.
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A Catalyst for Reflection on Our Past Transgressions
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Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith reflects on Lady Liberty's potential as an agent of change. (1m 6s)
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America's greatest symbol has its roots in a small town in France, 300 miles from Paris. (3m 56s)
How the Statue of Liberty's Anti-Slavery Origins Evolved
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A look at how Lady Liberty's anti-slavery origins and design changed over time. (3m 41s)
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It's hard to argue that there's a more iconic symbol of America than the Statue of Liberty (31s)
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David Rubenstein asks Professor Ed Berenson why Lady Liberty is a symbol of America. (47s)
"Their Immigration Story Becomes the Story of Their Life"
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David Rubenstein visits Ellis Island with Atlantic writer Caitlin Dickerson. (2m 45s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship
Iconic America: Our Symbols and Stories with David Rubenstein is a production of Show of Force, DMR Productions, and WETA Washington, D.C. David M. Rubenstein is the host and executive...