Freedom Tower Essay

955 Words4 Pages
If you've lived in Miami, you no doubt know the Freedom Tower’s silhouette. It is a distinctive part of our skyline. Its rich history and symbolism have now been preserved for all to enjoy for many generations to come. Freedom Tower was built in the Mediterranean Revival style in 1925, when it housed the offices of the Metropolis and Miami News. It is said that it was inspired by the Giralda Tower in Seville, Spain. The cupola tower contained a beacon light to shine over the Miami Bay, which would have served the practical purpose of acting as a lighthouse while symbolically announcing the enlightenment brought by the Metropolis and Miami News to the rest of the world. The Freedom Tower is considered the “Ellis Island of the South” for its role during a twelve year period between 1962 and 1974 as the Cuban Assistance Center, offering nationally sanctioned relief to the Cuban refugees who sought political asylum from the Communist regime of Fidel Castro. Due to the political climate of the time and the Cold War, Cubans were readily welcomed into the United States and extended an unprecedented amount of assistance belying the immigration policy that had dictated the flow of immigration into the country until that point. The Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962 was enacted by the Kennedy Administration to offer assistance to the large number of Cubans fleeing to Miami seeking political asylum. The Freedom Tower stands as the single most identifiable building with the Cuban exile experience.The building stands as a physical manifestation of Cold War era politics, and their influence it exerted over national immigration policies developed to assist the steady stream of Cubans arriving in the United States during the period. The Freedom Tower faces east with 125 feet frontage onto Biscayne Boulevard originally known as North Bayshore Drive and occupies 253
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