NEW YORK — At a time of intense national division, the owners of America’s Flagship— the SS United States— are hoping to bring the country together to save a unique and endangered national treasure. The SS United States Conservancy is launching the “We are the United States” campaign to showcase America’s Flagship as a symbol of our unifying values and raise urgently-needed funds to save the only ship to bear the nation’s name.
The urgent campaign to raise $500,000 by July 4th celebrates how America’s Flagship embodies many of the nation’s most enduring values, such as freedom, diversity, resilience, courage, and innovation. “We are the United States” features a new crowdfunding campaign, including a powerful new video about the ship, expanded social media outreach to attract new supporters, motivational images available for free download, and personal stories from people across the country that express why it is so important to save America’s Flagship. To learn more about the SS United States and the campaign, visit: WeAretheUnitedStates.org.
“Our nation today is deeply divided. The SS United States shows what we can accomplish when we set aside our differences and rally around a worthy cause,” said Conservancy Executive Director Susan Gibbs. “America’s Flagship has always symbolized the qualities we share as a people and that make the American dream possible.”
Gibbs hopes the new campaign will help bring Americans closer together and prevent the one-of-a-kind historic ocean liner from being lost forever.
“We are the United States,” she continued. “Our nation’s flagship tells a powerful story about who we are when we’re at our very best. Her story is one of ingenuity, hard work and a shared sense of purpose. She can be a unifying force at a time when we need one more than ever.”
The SS United States, the largest passenger vessel ever built in America and the fastest ocean liner in history, is currently moored in Philadelphia. The Conservancy, which has not taken any taxpayer dollars, has galvanized a community of supporters from all 50 states and 35 countries to preserve the ship while building a growing collection of historic artifacts from the vessel. The organization is working to convert the SS United States into a one-of-a-kind mixed-use museum and development complex.
However, without additional donations and developer commitments, the non-profit group will be forced to pursue alternatives this summer, such as converting the ship into an artificial underwater reef or recycling the vessel, while securing alternative venues to showcase its curatorial collections.
“Losing our country’s flagship would be a terrible loss for the nation,” Gibbs continued. “This campaign is not just about saving a ship. It’s about proving to ourselves that we can rally to save our shared history regardless of our differences.
It’s about honoring this great American achievement and the values that made the United States possible.”
To support the SS United States Conservancy with a tax-deductible contribution or to learn more about the SS United States visit WeAretheUnitedStates.org.