Statue of Liberty of War; since 1933 it has been maintained by the National Park Service. Public access to the balcony around the torch has been barred for safety since 1916. According to the National Park Service, the idea for the Statue of Liberty was first proposed by Édouard René de Laboulaye, president of the French Anti-Slavery Society and a prominent and important political thinker of his time. The project is traced to a mid-1865 conversation between de Laboulaye, a staunch abolitionist, and Frédéric Bartholdi, a sculptor. In after-dinner conversation at his home near Versailles, Laboulaye, an ardent supporter of the Union in
The Statue of Liberty (film) The Statue of Liberty (film) The Statue of Liberty is a 1985 American documentary film on the history of the Statue of Liberty ("Liberty Enlightening the World"). It was produced and directed by Ken Burns. The film first aired on October 28, 1985. It was narrated by historian David McCullough. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. The film included readings by Jeremy Irons and Arthur Miller, among others. Also features Paul Simon's "American Tune" at the beginning and end of the film. McCullough, then-New York Gov. Mario Cuomo, former congresswoman Barbara Jordan, director Miloš Forman,