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"According to Reader's Digest, the copper’s shiny metallic surface began oxidizing upon assembly, quickly turning the exterior into a dark brown mineral coating called tenorite. This tenorite and oxidized copper then mixed with the sulfuric acid in the air to create the green color seen today." is a direct copy-and-paste copyright violation of the source. Isn't there a better source for this anyway? John (talk) 17:57, 16 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]
@Para Clark you reverted my edit, which was an attempt in WP:NPOV because a high quality source explicitly says it is unlikely that the statue represents liberation of slaves. Even the NPS page (who's the author?) doesn't explicitly say that the sculpture itself commemorates liberation of slaves, still not liked by many at the time, only that the two Frenchmen fancied the ideas. If sources, given your interpretation of the one, disagree in views, we cannot pick sides. NPOV violation is a serious issue. Also, none of the sources say this *is* Libertas, not even our article further below, some only say Libertas might have been an inspiration, among others.
Ponor (talk) 09:02, 21 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]
The broken shackles at her feet mark the end of slavery. Those who conceived of the statue were staunch abolitionists, and Laboulaye was known for his Civil War-era pamphlets defending the Union cause. Per statueofliberty.org, to symbolize the end of slavery, Bartholdi placed a broken shackle and chains at the Statue’s foot.. I've done the tour, and although you cannot see the shackles from ground level, the museum informs you of its history (the film lasts about 10 minutes, and covers its celebration of emancipation). In terms of the source you refer to, that's from 2003; the statue's history was fully documented by the NPS in 2011. H Havens (talk) 09:08, 22 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]
That source at least says what our article says too. Some caveats: per WP:SOURCEDEF, a source means the work itself, the author, and the publisher — we do not know who the author of that page is and what's the publisher's review process. Cara A. Sutherland is a museologist who was affiliated with The Museum of the City of New York. It's unlikely that some crucial piece of evidence was found between 2003 and 2011 (?), and according to Sutherland, the liberation of slaves interpretations existed long before. Given the archived page history that goes only back to 2020 and similarity in wording, we should be careful that another WP:CITOGENESIS is not taking place. I live nearby and my neighbor volunteers for NPS, I'll see if he can found out more about that source. Ponor (talk) 12:26, 22 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]
It's that they now recognize its history. Washington Post, "One of the first meanings [of the statue] had to do with abolition, but it’s a meaning that didn’t stick", Edward Berenson, a history professor at New York University. In June 1865, Laboulaye organized a meeting of French abolitionists at his summer home in Versailles, “They talked about the idea of creating some kind of commemorative gift that would recognize the importance of the liberation of the slaves”, Berenson said. Just found a clip from the statue's museum in The New York Times, "Here are four of the museum’s central messages. A Celebration of Emancipation". And another from statueofliberty.org, In designing the Statue, Bartholdi incorporated broken chains and shackles to represent newly achieved freedom. The connection between abolition and the statue is clear, and the article on here has to reflect that. H Havens (talk) 15:31, 22 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks, @H Havens. I'll replace the old or add some of your sources. What's missing, and what both NPS and NYT cover in great detail is "...the fact that this symbol of 'universal liberty' was far from a reality for people of color and women during the late 19th century and for decades afterward" (NYT). We should not romanticize the "abolition of slavery" if we want to stay neutral. Ponor (talk) 20:08, 22 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]
level-4 vital article is rated FA-class on Wikipedia's content assessment scale.
