Paul Ramírez Jonas' Let Freedom Ring

Step into a powerful moment of reflection, history, and civic pride with Let Freedom Ring by renowned artist Paul Ramírez Jonas, on view this summer at the entrance to Cherry Street Pier. Presented in partnership with the Association for Public Art. This monumental installation features a stunning bell tower that plays the historic anthem “My Country ’Tis of Thee,” as famously sung by Marian Anderson in 1939 and later echoed by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech. But there’s a twist: the song plays in full, except for the final note. Visitors are invited to step up, ring the 600-pound bell themselves, and proclaim what freedom means to them. Whether it’s for a person, a cause, or a dream, this final note becomes a personal declaration of hope, justice, and unity. Let Freedom Ring is more than art; it’s a call to action and a celebration of our shared story.