Emma Lazarus (1849-1887) was a Jewish American poet, best known for her sonnet “The New Colossus.” This poem is currently engraved on a bronze plaque and displayed on the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal. The statue stands across from the historic Ellis Island, through which millions of immigrants came into the U.S. in the late 1800s and early 1900s. As you read, take notes on how the poem describes and portrays the Statue of Liberty. This poem is for 9th-grade students and is available in the public domain.
