Description
A sweeping cultural history of two iconic landmarks that reflect the spirit, character, and values of the US—the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty—and the role they play in shaping American culture, US history, and international relations
In Empire and Liberty, historian Dr. Vaneesa Cook explores how the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty have served as lightning rods for debates about the irreconcilable tensions between empire and liberty that have existed since American independence, defining the contours of American identity.
The two landmarks, typically considered separately not comparatively, reflect much about the struggle of American identity. When studied in tandem, it becomes clear that they represent touchpoints for debates over ideas and ideals about who Americans are and what they want.
Empire and Liberty raises questions such as:
- How could women embrace a Statue of Liberty that was erected before they had the right to vote?
- How could African Americans believe in a nation dedicated to liberty that deliberately left them out?
- How much freedom could immigrants feel while stuck in low-wage jobs, facing discrimination and racism? How much could they appreciate the benefits of empire when they rarely reaped its fruits?
Cook illuminates how this story of two tied landmarks is essentially about the American people and their experiences—how they construed the structures as symbols of empire and liberty and how they imbued the structures with spirit and character.
Table of Contents
Preface
CHAPTER 1
Liberty Enlightening the World—1865
CHAPTER 2
Building an Empire Building—1929
CHAPTER 3
Liberty Limited—1886
CHAPTER 4
Empire and Liberty in Crisis—1931
CHAPTER 5
Empire and Liberty at War—1941
CHAPTER 6
Freedom Lights in the Cold War Era—1973
CHAPTER 7
Empire and Liberty Under Attack—2001
Acknowledgments
Further Reading
Image Credits
Notes
Index
