Which famous line is associated with the New Colossus?

• A. A line about welcoming immigrants.
• B. A line about the power of liberty.
• C. It is a poem by Emma Lazarus.
• D. 'Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free'

Answer: (D)

The line most closely tied to the New Colossus is a direct quotation from Emma Lazarus’s poem, The New Colossus, written in 1883 to accompany the Statue of Liberty. The famous line declares: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” This exact wording is the enduring symbol of welcoming immigrants and offering refuge, and it’s the line that people most commonly associate with the statue and its message.

The poem’s broader idea is generosity and asylum for those seeking a new life, which is why the line is placed on a plaque at the statue’s pedestal and widely cited in discussions about immigration and American ideals. The line about welcoming immigrants captures the sentiment, and the poem’s author is Emma Lazarus, but the specific, memorable phrase is the one that people recognize as the New Colossus.