90px|The Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, designed by Frédéric Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886. The statue, a gift to the United States from the people of France, is of a robed female figure representing Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom, who bears a torch and a tabula ansata (a tablet evoking the law) upon which is inscribed the date of American independence. It has become an iconic symbol of freedom and of the United States. Fundraising for the statue proved difficult, especially for the Americans, and by 1885 work on the statue's pedestal was threatened due to lack of funds. Publisher Joseph Pulitzer of the World initiated a drive for donations to complete the project, and the campaign inspired over 120,000 contributors, most of whom gave less than a dollar. The statue was constructed in France, shipped overseas in crates, and reassembled on the completed pedestal on what was then called Bedloe's Island. Its completion was marked by New York's first ticker-tape parade and a dedication ceremony presided over by President Grover Cleveland. (more...)

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_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1664:

The Duke of York and Albany's Maritime Regiment of Foot, the forerunner to the Royal Marines, was established at the grounds of the Honourable Artillery Company in London. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Marines

1835:

Māori chiefs signed the Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand and established the United Tribes of New Zealand. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_the_Independence_of_New_Zealand

1928:

Indonesian composer Wage Rudolf Supratman introduced "Indonesia Raya", now the country's national anthem. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia_Raya

1965:

In St. Louis, Missouri, the 630-foot (190 m) tall parabolic steel Gateway Arch was completed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_Arch

1995:

The world's deadliest subway disaster took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, when an electrical malfunction caused a fire that killed 289 passengers and injured 265 more. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1995_Baku_Metro_fire

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

cornhusking (n): Removal of the husk from corn http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cornhusking

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Paradoxically, the man who has failed and one who is at the peak of success are in exactly the same position. Each must decide what he will do next, choose the course that will lead him to the future. --Jigoro Kano http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Jigoro_Kano