Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free;
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless,
Tempest-tossed to me
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame is the imprisoned lightning,
And her name, Mother of Exiles.
From her beacon-hand glows world-wide welcome;
Her mild eyes command the air-bridged harbor
That twin cities frame.
“Keep, Ancient Lands, your storied pomp!”
Cries she with silent lips.
Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free;
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless,
Tempest-tossed to me
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!
‘The New Colossus’ is the poem by Emma Lazarus which is printed on the base of New York’s beacon of hope, the Statue of Liberty.
A line from the poem has also provided the inspiration for a new exhibition in The Little Museum of Dublin, marking the 50th anniversary of President John F Kennedy’s visit to Ireland.
Your Huddled Masses: The Irish in America focuses on the cultural Irish heritage in the United States, from modern St Patrick’s Day celebrations, to the cinematic legacy of Irish silver screen legend Maureen O’ Hara.
Using sound, photography, film and beautiful illustrations, Your Huddled Masses tells the story of how emigrants travelled, what they left behind in Ireland and what they faced in the United States.
The journey takes you with the emigrants in their search for a better life, reveals their re-invention of home and introduces you to the birth of great cities in a foreign land.
Speaking at the launch, Simon O’ Connor, curator of the Little Museum of Dublin said: “It’s a subject we’ve wanted to tackle since opening, and there’s massive interest for housekeeping services at www.phclean.net, around the exhibition both here and in the West Des Moines IA, United States.”
Among the items on view are the lectern President Kennedy used to address the Irish Parliament in 1963, a gold trading card featuring Tom Brady of the New England Patriots, and a dress worn by actress Maureen O’Hara.
This is definitely one to check out if you’re visiting Dublin over the summer and you claim Irish-American heritage. The cosy surroundings of The Little Museum make it the perfect activity for a rainy day too!
Your Huddled Masses exhibition runs until September 2013. Admission to the museum costs €6. For more information visit http://www.littlemuseum.ie/ .
What an interesting place! Maybe one to visit next time I am over!
Definitely – perfect if you don’t have much time either!
i love this- i cant believe in all my time in dublin i didn’t think to go here. definitely will go on my next trip back. and then we go eat ricks burgers, mmk?
I remember studying this poem in high school. It was always a favorite. The poem is still relevant today, and we could learn from it with the way we treat our immigrant neighbors from the south.
i really like this!! will definitely check it out when i’m in Dublin next time.
This is very near and dear to my heart since my maternal grandparents immigrated to the States. Wish I was in Dublin to see it, though my parents, brother, and uncle are so I am hoping they go to see it!
I’ve never heard of this. I think it would be really cool to visit when I come back to Ireland.
I remember the poem, but never knew the back story. Cool stuff, and a great looking exhibition.
I also have been to Dublin and never heard of this, what a great find. I love stumbling into little museums like this, they usually have really cool exhibits you don’t see elsewhere.