CELEBRATING A DECADE OF PROGRESS AND PROMISE
Conservancy Has Done More Than Keep America's Flagship Safely Afloat
Ten years ago this month, a small but determined group united behind a singular passion: To save an enduring monument to the American spirit, the SS United States. Thanks to the Conservancy's early efforts, America's Flagship was saved from destruction. The nation's sole remaining historic ocean liner endures and inspires as a soaring synthesis of post-war technology, architecture and artistic innovation. The ship epitomizes the words of the great F. Scott Fitzgerald, "And so we beat on, like boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."
 
During the past ten years, with the help of steadfast supporters from across the nation and around the world, the Conservancy can count among its accomplishments:
  • Raising more than $12 million to purchase the SS United States and keeping her safely maintained for a decade, along with celebrating her legacy through curatorial, outreach and educational programs;
  • Ensuring the ship's recognition as one of the nation's great symbols and technological masterpieces;
  • Acquiring and cataloguing thousands of unique artifacts and artwork showcasing the ship's innovative craftsmanship and superlative mid-century modern design;
  • Curating several public exhibitions showcasing the ship's storied history and its contributions to engineering and naval architecture;
  • Building a vibrant and committed community of supporters from all fifty states and 40 nations;
  • Exploring a wide range of viable designs, locations and commercial adaptations for the ship's revitalization; and
  • Establishing redevelopment partnerships with qualified investors, culminating in a current agreement with RXR Realty.
 
Over the coming days (and months), the Conservancy will be celebrating this milestone with special tributes, retrospectives, and events that highlight the SS United States' unique role in history and the artifacts, artistry and maritime legacy that defined a generation. We will also be looking toward the future and continuing to follow our trusted multi-pronged approach that has advanced one of the most unique and ambition historic preservation projects in a generation.

GIBBS: "THIS 'LADY IN WAITING' REFLECTS THE VERY BEST OF WHAT OUR NATION CAN ACHIEVE."
Maritime Reporter Column Reflects on The Legacy of the "Big U"
Maritime Reporter & Engineering News Magazine recently included a special column from Conservancy President Susan Gibbs that showcased the historical significance and unique attributes of the SS United States. Her piece highlighted the reasons that America's Flagship is "more than a symbol of our nation’s post-war strength and global reach... and remains a singular and unrivaled marine engineering and design achievement."

Gibbs' column was authored in response to another opinion piece that claimed that the vessel that bears her nation’s name was merely "an emotional fabrication," and "nothing special." In her op-ed about the nation's "Maritime Thoroughbred", Gibbs says, "More than any other vessel, the SS United States remains a symbol of American resilience. She has stood the test of time."

MORE FROM THE SS UNITED STATES CONSERVANCY
It's still a great time to make a donation to the Conservancy. Last year’s CARES Act provided crucial incentives that encouraged individuals to give to charitable organizations like the Conservancy during this time of unprecedented hardship - and some of those benefits continue into 2021.*
 
This year we're offering donors at the SS United States Benefactors level the chance to have their own copy of "The Captain's Table," (pictured above) the recipe booklet produced by United States Lines featuring special dishes served aboard the SS United States and SS America.

* (Additional tax information available here or contact your tax professional.)
February is Black History Month. America's Flagship was ahead of her time in many ways, both in her advanced engineering, design and technology, and in the racial and ethnic diversity of her crew.

Albert Durant, who photographed the SS United States during its sea trials, was the first city-licensed Black photographer in Williamsburg, VA. During his time on the SS United States, Durant photographed the interiors of the ship but also focused on the Black crew of the ship (as pictured above). Durant's ability to capture the emotion of his subjects, in this case the pride of working on America's Flagship, is just one of the reasons why he was considered such an acclaimed photographer.

THE BIG U CONTINUES TO INSPIRE...

“In a world of constant change and struggles, I hope this helps even by a little, to conserve a ship which still remains a symbol of strength and resilience for a country so deprived of stability. The SS United States is a testament to the power of our nation, and the idea that when we come together, we can accomplish wonders that last generations. While at the surface some may consider her simply a rusting old liner, in reality there survives a lioness of steel underneath, awaiting for the hope of tomorrow, in the land she will always call home."

- Seth E., donor, January 2021