Here's why this idea came about and why it's inaccurate:
* Artistic Inspiration: The Statue of Liberty, officially titled "Liberty Enlightening the World," was designed by French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi. His inspiration was a common Roman figure, "Liberitas", often depicted as a woman holding a torch and a broken chain.
* Model: The face of the Statue of Liberty was modeled after Bartholdi's mother and possibly a French peasant woman.
* Racial Interpretation: The idea of the statue representing a Black woman arose from the interpretation of the statue by some during the Civil Rights Movement. The statue became a symbol of freedom and hope for Black Americans seeking equality.
It's important to distinguish between the actual historical design of the statue and the symbolic interpretations given to it by different communities over time. While the Statue of Liberty has powerful symbolic meaning for all Americans, it was not originally intended to be a Black woman.