The tablet reads "July IV MDCCLXXVI"

The tablet in the Statue of Liberty's left hand bears a single date: July IV MDCCLXXVI. That's July 4, 1776 in Roman numerals — American Independence Day. The sculptor, Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, chose this date to mark the founding of the United States, not the date the statue was dedicated (which was October 28, 1886).

The tablet is made of copper, the same material as the statue's outer shell. It measures roughly 24 by 13.5 inches and sits flat in Liberty's hand, angled slightly downward so it's visible from the ground. The Roman numerals are raised, cast as part of the tablet itself rather than engraved afterward.

Many people expect the tablet to hold a longer inscription — perhaps a quote or the names of the statue's creators. Instead, Bartholdi kept it straightforward: just the date. That restraint is intentional. The date alone carries the message: this monument celebrates the birth of a nation founded on a specific idea at a specific moment.

Key Takeaways

  • The tablet displays "July IV MDCCLXXVI," which is July 4, 1776 in Roman numerals.
  • The date marks American Independence Day, not the date the statue was completed or dedicated.
  • The tablet is made of copper and measures about 24 by 13.5 inches.
  • Bartholdi chose to inscribe only the date, leaving the tablet free of longer text or quotations.
  • The Roman numerals are raised and cast into the tablet, not engraved on its surface.

Why Bartholdi chose Roman numerals

Roman numerals were a deliberate choice by Bartholdi, not a limitation of the time. By the 1870s, Arabic numerals were standard in France and the United States. Bartholdi used Roman numerals to give the monument a classical, timeless quality — the same reason architects and sculptors had used them for centuries on important buildings and monuments.

Roman numerals also connected the new American republic to the ancient world. Bartholdi and his collaborators saw the United States as a modern inheritor of democratic ideals that traced back to Rome and Greece. The choice of numerals reinforced that connection visually.

How the tablet is positioned in Liberty's hand

The tablet rests in the statue's left hand, held at a slight angle so the date faces outward and downward. From the ground, visitors looking up at the statue can see the tablet clearly, though the Roman numerals are small enough that binoculars or a close-up photograph help read them precisely.

The positioning matters. Liberty's right hand holds the torch aloft — a symbol of enlightenment and hope. Her left hand holds the tablet — a symbol of law and founding principles. Together, the two objects tell a story: the light of freedom rests on the foundation of law established on July 4, 1776.

What visitors often misremember about the tablet

Many people recall the tablet bearing a longer inscription, perhaps something like "Give me your tired, your poor" — the famous lines from Emma Lazarus's poem "The New Colossus." That poem is inscribed on a plaque inside the statue's pedestal, not on the tablet itself. The confusion is understandable, since both are associated with the monument and both carry messages about freedom and immigration.

Others remember the tablet as holding the date in Arabic numerals, or they recall a different date entirely. The simplicity of the actual inscription — just seven Roman numerals — is straightforward to misremember or conflate with other parts of the statue's symbolism.

The tablet's condition and restoration

The tablet has weathered over 135 years of exposure to salt spray, wind, and temperature changes. During the major restoration of the statue in the 1980s, conservators cleaned and stabilized the tablet along with the rest of the copper exterior. The raised numerals remain legible, though they show the patina and wear of age.

The tablet was not replaced during restoration — conservators preserved the original as part of Bartholdi's design. This means the tablet you see today is the same one cast in France in the 1870s and installed when the statue arrived in New York in 1885.

Why the date matters more than you might think

The tablet's date is not decorative. It anchors the entire monument to a specific historical moment and a specific claim: that the United States was founded on July 4, 1776, on principles of liberty and self-governance. By placing that date in Liberty's hand, Bartholdi made it clear that the statue was not just a gift between nations, but a statement about what the American experiment represented.

The date also connects the statue to the centennial celebrations of American independence. France gave the statue to the United States in 1886 — a decade after the nation's 100th birthday. The tablet's date kept that centennial meaning alive, reminding visitors that they were looking at a monument to a century of American independence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you see the tablet clearly from the ground?

The tablet is visible from a distance, but the Roman numerals are small. Most visitors need binoculars or a photograph to read the date clearly. If you visit the statue, the tablet is easiest to see from the pedestal or from ferry boats passing nearby.

Why didn't Bartholdi put a longer message on the tablet?

Bartholdi kept the tablet straightforward intentionally. A single date is more powerful and timeless than a longer inscription, which might become dated or controversial. The date alone — July 4, 1776 — carries all the meaning he wanted to convey.

Is the tablet the same one from when the statue was built?

Yes. The original tablet, cast in France in the 1870s, remains in place. During the 1980s restoration, conservators cleaned and stabilized it but did not replace it. It is the same tablet Bartholdi designed.

Where is "Give me your tired, your poor" written on the statue?

That poem by Emma Lazarus is inscribed on a bronze plaque mounted inside the pedestal, not on the tablet in Liberty's hand. Many people confuse the two because both are famous parts of the statue's symbolism.

What do the Roman numerals MDCCLXXVI mean?

MDCCLXXVI breaks down as M (1000) + D (500) + CC (200) + LXX (70) + VI (6), totaling 1776. In Roman numerals, letters are arranged from largest to smallest value, left to right.