Ivan Chermayeff
speaks on:
the Statue of Liberty
What does Visit the American Museum of Immigration at the Statue of Liberty mean? What's the idea?
The poster's creator Ivan Chermayeff explains his understanding (Audio 0:35).
Think about what Visit the American Museum of Immigration at the Statue of Liberty means to you. If you were to write an inscription for the poster, what would be the central idea? Would your inscription reflect a current or historical issue? The original inscription on the statue by Emma Lazarus reads:
Give me your tired, your poor,The Statue of Liberty was dedicated in 1886. For most of the nineteenth century, immigration into the United States was from Europe. Today, many immigrants are from other areas of the world, such as South America and Asia. Some people think immigration should be restricted. To investigate the debate, use your favorite Internet search engine to find web sites about immigration and immigration reform.
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me:
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.Emma Lazarus, 1883
Why so many different statues? What's the idea?
Having many statues of different colors is one way to represent our multicultural society. Visit the Multicultural Pavilion at the University of Virginia for background information, and then create your own visual metaphor to portray your understanding of multiculturalism.
Read what the National Park Service has to say about the Statue of Liberty National Monument or visit the Ellis Island Immigration Museum.
The University of California, Santa Barbara, presents articles, analyses, policy documents, legislative updates, and an annotated bibliography for various affirmative action and diversity topics, including immigration.
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