Broken chains lie at the Statue of Liberty's feet. They represent freedom from bondage, including the abolition of slavery in the United States. Most visitors cannot see them from the ground.
On October 28, 2026, the statue reaches the 140th anniversary of its dedication. The chains explain a part of its history that photographs of the torch often miss.
Where are the chains?
A broken shackle and chain lie beside Liberty's right foot. The chain passes beneath her robe and reappears in front of her left foot, ending in a broken link. The National Park Service describes their position, while its visitor FAQ explains why they are invisible from ground level.
Her right foot is raised. She is taking a step forward, carrying the torch. The park's guide to the statue's symbols connects that movement with enlightenment and freedom.
Why abolition belongs in this history
Édouard de Laboulaye, the French thinker who proposed the monument, was an abolitionist and a supporter of the Union during the American Civil War. He saw the end of slavery as a fulfillment of American democratic ideals.
According to the National Park Service's abolition history, the statue celebrated the Union victory and emancipation alongside American independence and democratic government.
The chains express that hope. They also invite a difficult comparison with life in 1886. Slavery had ended, but Black Americans still faced racial discrimination and violence. The freedom represented by the monument remained insecure for people living in the country it celebrated.
What the torch and tablet mean
The statue's full name is Liberty Enlightening the World. Its torch represents enlightenment.
The tablet bears July 4, 1776, in Roman numerals. That date refers to American independence. The statue itself was dedicated on October 28, 1886.
The National Park Service's facts page explains these details alongside the broken chains. Together, they connect the monument's broad ideal of liberty with a specific history of independence and emancipation.
How immigration became part of its meaning
Today, many people associate the statue with immigrants arriving in New York Harbor. That association developed over decades.
A September 2000 research report commissioned by the National Park Service found repeated references to abolition in the monument's early history. It traces the rise of immigration as a dominant interpretation during the twentieth century.
The familiar image of welcome is part of the statue's history. The chains help us remember its connection to emancipation, too.
Explore the period in Text With History
In Text With History, try this question:
"What changed after slavery was abolished in the United States, and what freedoms remained insecure?"
Use the AI conversation to develop further questions, then check specific claims against historical sources.
A close-up of Liberty's feet is a useful place to begin. The broken chain records what the monument celebrated. The history of Black Americans after emancipation shows how much remained unfinished.