On July 2, 2020, Rebecca Kobrin, the co-director of the Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies and Russell and Bettina Knapp Associate Professor of American Jewish History, Department of History, Columbia University, gave a talk on the legacy of Emma Lazarus.
We often say that America is a “nation of immigrants,” but its historical experience is more complicated. How did America begin to think of itself in this way? This lecture ponders this question as it examines the life and writings of Emma Lazarus to offer new perspectives on the role Jews, and in particular one Jewish woman played in crafting this image. Emma Lazarus has much to teach us about the intersection of American history, Jewish history, and women's history, as she shows the ways in which the powerful words crafted by a member of a small minority group could reshape a national debate and how this vast nation saw its mission in the world.
Please note, below is the video played at the 46 minute mark.