What a photo. Tomorrow marks our 250th birthday, but it’s always a great time to be an American. Well, when isn’t it? We all know this country is great, despite what the blue-haired freaks and the liberal media clowns say. The World Cup has crushed any propaganda they had, as a) it’s now the most-attended tournament in FIFA history, and b) Europeans constantly post loving comments about the culture, the food, the hospitality, and the air conditioning. Oh, and Japanese fans are loving Texas barbecue.
Yet in 1984, the Statue of Liberty underwent a renovation, leading to this iconic photo of a worker kissing Liberty's forehead. It wasn’t without risk. The worker was interviewed later, adding that one slip and he would’ve been a goner. President Reagan even mentioned this image at the time (via NY Post):
Worker in iconic photo kissing Statue of Liberty recalls death-defying perch: 'One slip and it was over' https://t.co/iAyjUtERV3
— Andrea Jackson TV 📺🇺🇸 (@AJacksonTV) July 1, 2026
During the 1984 restoration of the Statue of Liberty, construction worker Anthony Soraci was pictured planting a kiss on Lady Liberty’s forehead, decades after the monument welcomed his grandparents to America.
The incredible photograph shows the young worker perched on top of a scaffolding bar more than 200 feet off the ground, with Soraci leaning forward to kiss the statue’s head.
Reagan invoked the moment as he hailed America’s 210th birthday in the summer of 1986, celebrating the statue’s centennial after it was erected on Liberty Island.
“Many of us have seen the picture of another worker here, a tool belt around his waist, balanced on a narrow metal rod of scaffolding, leaning over to place a kiss on the forehead of Miss Liberty,” Reagan said as he kicked off his speech.
“Tony Soraci, the grandson of immigrant Italians, said it was something he was proud to do, ‘Something to tell my grandchildren,'” the former president said.
The restoration project was a four-year endeavor that saw the monument encased in scaffolding as architects, engineers and conservators came together to ensure the Statue of Liberty’s preservation for the next 100 years.
What an image. Happy birthday, America, and we hope you enjoy this holiday with your families.
Editor's Note: It’s America’s 250th birthday! Help Townhall celebrate the greatest nation in history by honoring its past, defending its present, and preserving its future with reporting you can trust.
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