This weeks' episode of Iconic America features the Statue of Liberty.  It's hard to argue that there's a more iconic symbol of America today than the Statue of Liberty. For people around the world, The Statue of Liberty stands for freedom. This episode explores the evolving meaning of The Statue of Liberty as symbol for a “nation of immigrants,” and how it embodies our values and our conflicts, from abolition and women’s suffrage to the treatment of refugees.

Visiting the Carter Presidential Library in Atlanta, Georgia, one can’t help but see the parallels between this institution and another iconic American symbol: The Statue of Liberty. Both structures serve as lasting testaments to enduring ideals. The Carter Library, housing millions of pages of photographs and hours of video footage, embodies Jimmy Carter's dedication to the principles of democracy, transparency, and public service. Similarly, The Statue of liberty is an iconic symbol for freedom and opportunity.  You can learn more about former President Carter here, here and here.  

Just as The Statue of Liberty was a beacon of hope for immigrants journeying to America, The Carter Library illuminates President Carter’s tireless commitment to human rights and peace, both nationally and globally. It sheds light on his advocacy for the ‘common man’, much like the statue, welcoming the world’s “tired, poor, and huddled masses yearning to breath free” onto American shores.  

Another enduring symbol of Jimmy Carter is the Jimmy Carter Peanut Statue, conceived by Loretta Townsend for a 1976 Democrat Dinner. The peanut statue currently resides in Plains, Georgia, and continues to delight visitors, four decades on. The peanut is an iconic symbol in the state of Georgia, as they have been a crucial part of the agricultural economy. Georgia is also one of the world’s largest peanut producers. To learn more about Georgia’s peanut, here’s a Live Exploration presented by GPB.  

These symbols—The Carter Library, the peanut statue, and The Statue of Liberty—are all rooted in the American ethos of liberty, democracy, and opportunity. Just as the Statue of Liberty continues to stand tall in New York Harbor, Carter’s legacy lives on in Georgia, each contributing to the rich tapestry of American history and the continual evolution of its values.