ABC marks America 250 with 24 hours of nationwide programming

ABC began its 24-hour Disney Celebrates America broadcast at 10 p.m. ET on Friday, July 3, with David Muir leading a cross-country lineup that ran through July 4 and reached all 50 states. The rollout centered on a rare artistic and documentary look inside the Statue of Liberty, including access to the torch and crown, as part of an anniversary package.

The broadcast’s opening sequence took viewers into the monument with the Consulate General of France in New York, while a separate artistic illumination called Liberty Lights was a first-of-its-kind project. The broader America 250 effort also included a two-hour primetime special, Disney Celebrates America: The Pursuit of Happiness, along with broadcast segments, theme-park activations and community engagements. Disney Entertainment Television chair Debra O'Connell said the company was using storytelling across its brands to honor the nation’s 250th anniversary, and Disney also announced a $2.5 million donation to Blue Star Families as part of the campaign.

The monument, formally titled Liberty Enlightening the World, was a gift of friendship from France and was designed by French sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi as a symbol of freedom and democracy. It was dedicated on October 28, 1886, became a National Monument in 1924 and has been cared for by the National Park Service since 1933.

The statue rises 305 feet, 1 inch from the ground to the tip of the torch, and visitors climb 377 steps to reach the crown. Crown access requires a narrow spiral staircase and advance reservations, while the torch has been closed to the public since the 1916 Black Tom explosion. The original 1886 torch now sits in the Statue of Liberty Museum, and the 1986 torch is copper covered in 24k gold leaf.

About 3.8 million people visit the Statue of Liberty each year, the National Park Service says, many arriving by Statue City Cruises across New York Harbor to Liberty Island.