As part of Joseph Pulitzer's fundraising campaign for the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty; $100,000 was raised in 6 months - considered by many to be the 'first Kickstarter' campaign was a poem by Emma Lazarus The 'New Colossus'
The torch of the Bartholdi Statue of Liberty when it was on exhibition in Madison Square before the World raised the fund to erect the pedestal on Bedlow's Island
current Drawings and documents
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Neither New York City nor Congress would pay for the installation of the statue
Liberty Enlightening the World, in Aid of the Pedestal Fund
1885
Statue of "Liberty Enlightening the World"
Pulitzer used many techniques now commonly used by online crowdfunders to generate excitement and momentum for his campaign
1885
One hundred Thousand Dollars
Triumphant completion of the World's fund for the Liberty Pedestal
The contributions funded the construction of the pedestal, as documented in this sketch from Harper's magazine.