In marking the 125th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty’s dedication, many organizations have been highlighting the participation of Emma Lazarus, the iconoclastic nineteenth-century poet and activist whose verse gave a voice to the Statue of Liberty, but whose extraordinary life has remained a mystery until now. Emma Lazarus was a woman so far ahead of her time that we are still scrambling to catch up with her. Before these categories even existed, Lazarus was a feminist, a Zionist, and an internationally famous Jewish-American writer.
The New Colossus: Emma Lazarus’ famous poem comes to life—at your fingertips
Nextbook Press has created an interactive version of Emma Lazarus’ “The New Colossus,” the sonnet that appears on the statue’s base. The annotations are by Esther Schor, the author of the prize winning biography, Emma Lazarus, written for our “Jewish Encounters” series.
Scroll over the words, and you’ll be able to learn more about the poem, the poet, and the story behind the Statue. We are thrilled to present this classic poem in a new way (designed by Joshua Hester), and we hope you’ll enjoy it and pass it along. Of course, there is much more to be learned in Schor’s book, and we hope this poem will whet your appetite to read even more about Emma Lazarus by checking out Schor’s biography.
Click to explore Nextbook Press’ Interactive “The New Colossus,” Annotated by Esther Schor>>
Goings On About Town
Emma Lazarus: Poet of Exiles Exhibit at the Museum of Jewish Heritage
Wednesday, October 26
Museum of Jewish Heritage, NYC
Visit the museum.
Only in America: Nextbook Press author Esther Schor on Emma Lazarus in Philadelphia
Thursday, October 27
National Museum of American Jewish History
Nextbook Traveling Exhibitions on Jewish Artists: Emma Lazarus: Voice of Liberty, Voice of Conscience
Ongoing
At a library near you
(Namely Albert S. Cook Library at Towson University (MD), Indiana University East, Kansas City Public Library, Ocean County Library (NJ), The Norwich Free Academy (CT), Philips Library (IL), Athens0Limestone Public Library (IL), Northeastern university (MA)
What People Are Saying
“Emma Lazarus’s sonnet, “The New Collosus,” which articulated the welcome to immigration, is being celebrated by Nextbook-Press with an online annotation of the great poem, and Web cams are scheduled to begin operating in the torch of the statue so that all the world can see the vista of Liberty.”
The New York Sun
The School of Visual Arts Recognizes the Work of its MFA alumni
SVA Blog
Our ‘Brazen Giant’ Turns 125
Tablet Magazine
Mother of Exiles
The Jewish iPhone Magazine
Keep up with us on Twitter and Facebook for Emma Lazarus book giveaways, factoids, and up-to-date news on Nextbook titles.