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Little Sisters of Liberty
By Shelly Edwards, Tribune Scouting Editor
The Little Sisters of Liberty statue (aka Boy Scouts of America Monument or Statue of Liberty Replica) is a smaller version of the Statue of Liberty minus the gilded torch! In 1949 the Boy Scouts of America started producing 200 Little Sisters of Liberty copper statues and the 8 ½ feet tall weighing 290 pound replicas were given as gifts to capitol grounds, courthouse lawns, main streets, parks, scout camps, and school across America. The statue donations were given in the early 1950’s – all as part of Scouting’s 40th anniversary theme, “Strengthen the Arm of Liberty,” - a two-year campaign with a torch-lighting ceremony beneath the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. The need for such a program was greater than ever at that time. The post-World War II cold war with the Soviet Union and other communist nations had already seen a confrontation in Europe with the Berlin Airlift. In less than two years, a shooting war erupted in Korea. “Whether the future is to be one of freedom or despotism depends chiefly on how our young people develop,” warned BSA President Amory Houghton in an article in Scouting magazine announcing the new program, which would coincide with the BSA’s 40th anniversary in 1950.
The original Little Sisters of Liberty project was launched in 1949 by Kansas City businessman and Scout volunteer, Jack Whitaker. Whittaker was prominent in both local as well as national Scouting and was awarded the Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope, and the Silver Buffalo which is Scouting’s highest commendation.
A Little Sister of Liberty stands proudly at the Mid-Continent Public Library’s Midwest Genealogy Center in Independence. A time capsule was placed in the base of the statue by Gloria Smith, the Chairman of the Beautification Commission and organizer of the statues rehabilitation. The capsule contains news clippings of the 1950 ceremony, newspaper stories of the rededication, and Scouting memorabilia.
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