People protested the Statue of Liberty.

U.S. History

U pon its unveiling on October 28, 1886, the Statue of Liberty became one of the most recognizable figures in the world. But at the same time that “Lady Liberty” became an enduring symbol of freedom, the statue also stirred controversy. One protester called the statue a “gigantic lie, a travesty, a mockery,” and “the greatest sarcasm of the 19th century.” But why?

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By the Numbers

Spikes on the Statue of Liberty’s crown, representing the continents and seas

Height (in feet) of the Statue of Liberty from ground to tip of torch

305

Did you know?

Before pantsuits, women’s rights activists popularized pantaloons.

Before trailblazing politicians started wearing pants on the Senate floor, and Hillary Clinton popularized the pantsuit, women’s rights activists in the mid-19th century started their own forward-thinking fashion trend, “pantaloons.” As the women’s rights movement gained momentum, women began to advocate for dress reform as a way to challenge traditional gender norms. Elizabeth Smith Miller of New York, an advocate and financial supporter of the women’s rights movement, introduced a new look in the 1850s that gained a lot of traction: a knee-length skirt and billowy Turkish-style pants gathered at the ankle. Activist Amelia Jenks Bloomer, in her women’s newspaper The Lily, helped popularize the look, which also became known as “bloomers.” Although the look spread across the country, it was also ridiculed as masculine, and the trend eventually faded away.