> Very interesting!! > > > It is hard to believe that the following facts about the Statue > > of Liberty were never taught. Hundreds of thousands if not > > millions of people, including myself, have visited the Statue of > > Liberty over the years but yet I'm unable to find one person > > who knows the true history behind the Statue-----amazing. > > Yes, amazing that so much important Black history (such as > > this) is hidden from us (Black and White). What makes this > > even worse is the fact that the current twist on history > > perpetuates and promotes white supremacy at the expense > > of Black Pride. > > During my visit to France I saw the original Statue of Liberty. > > However, there was a difference - the statue in France is > > Black. > > The Statue of Liberty was originally a Black woman, but, as > > memory serves, it was because the model was Black. In a > > book called "The Journey of The Songhai People", according > > to Dr. Jim Haskins, a member of the National Education > > Advisory Committee of Liberty-Ellis Island, professor > > of English at the University of Florida and prolific Black > > author, points out that which stimulated the original idea for > > that 151 foot statue in the harbor. > > He says what stimulated the idea for the creation of the > > statue initially was the part that Black soldiers played in the > > ending of Black American Bondage in the United States. > > It was created in the mind of the French historian Edourd de > > Laboulaye, chairman of the French Anti-Slavery Society, > > who, together with sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, > > proposed to the French government that the people of France > > present to the people of the United States through the > > American Abolitionist Society, the gift of a statue in > > recognition of the fact that Black soldiers won the Civil War in > > the United States. > > It was widely known then that it was Black soldiers who > > played the pivotal role in winning the war, and this gift would > > be a tribute to their prowess. > > Suzanne Nakasian, director of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis > > Island Foundations' National Ethnic Campaign said that the > > Black Americans' direct connection to Lady Liberty is > > unknown to the majority of Americans, BLACK or WHITE. > > When the statue was presented to the U.S. Minister to > > France in 1884, it is said that he remonstrated that the > > dominant view of the broken shackles would be offensive to > > the U.S. South, because the statue was a reminder > > of Blacks winning their freedom. It was a reminder to a > > beaten South of the ones who caused their defeat - their > > despised former captives. > > Documents of Proof: > > 1.) You may go and see the original model of the Statue of > > Liberty, with the broken chains at her feet and in her left hand > > in Paris, France. > > 2.) Go to the Museum of the City of N.Y., Fifth Avenue and > > 103rd Street (212) 534-1672 or call the same number, > > ext.208 and speak to Peter Simmons and he can send you > > some documentation. > > 3.) Read the N.Y. Times magazine, part II May 18, 1986. > > 4.) The dark original face of the Statue of Liberty can be seen > > in the N.Y. Post June 17, 1986. Also, the Post stated the > > reason for the broken chains at her feet. > > 5.) Finally, you may check with the French Mission or the > > French Embassy at the U.N or in Washington, D.C. and ask > > for some original French material on the Statue of Liberty, > > including the Bartholdi original model. You can call in > > September (202) 944-6060 or 6400. > > Please pass this information along! > > > > >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------