June 17, 1885: The Gift That Arrived in Pieces

On June 17, 1885, the French ship Isère sailed into New York Harbor carrying the Statue of Liberty in 214 crates with nowhere to stand.Congress had refused to fund the pedestal. The millionaires had passed. What happened next was Joseph Pulitzer asking ordinary people to send whatever they had, promising to print every name regardless of the amount. 120,000 people responded, most with less than a dollar. The mechanism Pulitzer proved that summer became the template for every mass fundraising campaign that followed.From bsnsHistory, the daily podcast about the moments when business quietly reshaped the world.Written and hosted by Ron Trucks. Research and editing by Rodney Russ. Sound design by Angela Cahoy. Music by Cody Martin and Soundstripe.For more daily business stories, visit www.bsnsDAILYpodcasts.com