The Statue of Liberty was proposed as a gift from the people of France to the people of the United States. As such, government funds were not used for the project. Private fundraising campaigns were needed in both countries to insure the project was a success.

The Franco American Union

During the Summer of 1865, the French historian Edouard Rene Lefebvre de Laboulaye remarked to several dinner guests that he proposed to construct an immense statue to celebrate the birth of the United States and recognize the role of France in helping to secure liberty for the new country.

Among the guests was a young sculptor, Frederic Auguste Bartholdi. de Laboulaye convinced Bartholdi to take up the project. In 1871, Bartholdi traveled to the United States to select the site for the statue. In 1875 the Franco American Union, with de Laboulaye as President, was formed to raise funds for the project.