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Friday Funny - Liberty Bell Story



At the last local historic preservation society meeting,
one of the older ladies said "Dean, I wish you'd check
something out for me.  I heard that the Liberty Bell had
been sold to a private company."   While I was mentally
thinking, how absurd and another urban legend, a second
elderly lady remarked that 'yes, she had hear that, too.'
So I did some research.   Here's the story:

On April 1, 1996 (note the date carefully), a full page ad
appeared in the New York Times, USA Today, and several
other places.  It stated that "TACO BELL BUYS LIBERTY BELL"
with a short text that it would be renamed the 'Taco Liberty
Bell' and would still be available to all Americans.  It stated that
this was Taco Bell's part to help pay down the national debt
and urged other companies to make similar government
purchases.

In addition, Taco Bell sent out a press release at the begin-
ning of the day, that said the same thing, but added that the
Bell would be available for viewing,. alternating between
Philadelphia and the company's headquarters in Irvine,
California.

The result of the ad was that the Philadelphia Chamber of
Commerce, and the National Park Service (Independence
Hall branch) were besieged by hundreds of calls from angry
Philadelphians.   The Wall Street Journal ran a story on April
2, 1999 about this, stating that many were upset that their
national symbol was going to be used to promote bean
burritos!

Taco Bell sent out a second press release the same day
(April 1) stating that they had played the "best April Fool's
Joke" of the day .... but unfortunately the press releases
and advertisements are now part of history....as you scroll
through the microfilm of the New York Times, don't be
surprised if you hear a patron gasp "What nerve!   Henry,
LOOK AT THIS!!!"

I could not find a follow-up article in the New York Times; the
ads don't say "advertisement" nor was there any disclaimer
in the NYT saying it was an April Fool's joke.   Taco Bell did
say they made a $50,000 contribution toward the Independence
Hall National Park, but ironically no one noted that the Liberty
Bell is actually owned/property of the City of Philadelphia.

By the way, when I reported on this at this month's meeting, I
prefaced my remarks by saying "Mary, you were right!!" and
she began exclaiming, "I knew it! I knew it! What IS this
country coming to?"  but then she and everyone laughed when
I told the story of the Bell and the Bean Burrito!

Dean

Dean DeBolt
University Librarian
Special Collections and West Florida Archives
John C. Pace Library
University of West Florida
11000 University Parkway
Pensacola, FL  32514-5750
Tele:  850-474-2213;   Fax:  850-474-3338

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