The Statue Of Liberty

By Jennifer Robinson / Web Producer

Published June 27, 2013 at 9:48 AM PDT

The Statue of Liberty. This Academy Award-nominated documentary tells the unique story of the monument's creation.

Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 / Stream now with KPBS Passport!

This 1985 Ken Burns film explores the creation and history of the remarkable Statue of Liberty and what she represents to all Americans.

The Statue of Liberty was constructed in France and brought, in pieces, to New York City — but not without obstacles.

Narrated by David McCullough, the film traces the development of the monument — from its conception to its fascinating and often controversial construction to its final dedication — and offers interviews with a wide range of Americans, including former New York governor Mario Cuomo, the late congresswoman Barbara Jordan and the late writers James Baldwin and Jerzy Kosinski, to explore the meaning of the Statue of Liberty.

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David McCullough, James Baldwin, Barbara Jordan and Milos Forman discuss liberty.

Nominated for both the Academy Award ® and the Emmy Award ®, the film received the prestigious CINE Golden Eagle and the Christopher Award.

Inscribed on the Statue Of Liberty is “JULY IV MDCCLXXVI” — the date of the United States’ Declaration of Independence. In this document, Thomas Jefferson wrote: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Premiered on PBS: Oct. 28, 1985.

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Carolyn Forche talks about how the Statue of Liberty is an enduring symbol.

The Statue Of Liberty

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