The crown of the Statue of Liberty will again be accessible to the public this month after a year of renovation. But in October 25, 1977, it was the stage for a surprising, even poetic protest that has been forgotten by many. A look back at the day Lady Liberty was taken hostage.

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Miguel “Mickey” Melendez is an activist for Latino and Puerto Rican rights and a founding member of the Young Lords. He has taught in the Black and Hispanic studies department at CUNY, Baruch and John Jay colleges. He has a MPA from Baruch College and a Doctor of Law (Honoris Causa) from CUNY, Queens College Law. He is the recipient of the Charles Revson Fellowship at Columbia University. And he is the author of We Took the Streets: Fighting for Latino Rights with the Young Lords (St. Martin’s Press, 2003, Rutgers University Press 2006). Currently he can be heard on Pacifica Radio’s Con Sabor Latino on Sundays at 2 p.m. on WBAI 99.5. FM. He is also Assistant to the President of Local 372, NYC, DC37, AFSCME. Photo courtesy of Will Salomon Orellano.