..Gary Dretzka
..Noah Forrest
..Leonard Klady
..R.J. Matson
..David Poland
..Douglas Pratt
..Ray Pride
..Michael Wilmington

January 13, 2004

Film Director Martin Scorsese Commissioned by American Express to Create Statue of Liberty Documentary

The History Channel(R) Documentary Airing January 15, 2004 to Be Part of
The American Express National Campaign to Help Reopen Lady Liberty

NEW YORK, Jan. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- American Express has tapped acclaimed film director Martin Scorsese to produce and narrate an original documentary about the Statue of Liberty entitled "Lady By the Sea: The Statue of Liberty" that will air on The History Channel, January 15, 2004 at 8:00 PM ET/PT. The one-hour documentary will aid the effort to raise awareness of the nationwide fundraising campaign to help reopen the Statue of Liberty. Those who donate $100 or more to the cause during December and January will receive the Scorsese documentary in DVD format. The Statue has been closed since September 11, 2001 and is in need of safety upgrades before it can reopen to the public.

The Scorsese film will be the centerpiece of a three-hour block of programming dedicated to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island presented by American Express. Book-ending Scorsese's documentary are two one-hour specials, "Modern Marvels: The Statue of Liberty" at 7:00 PM ET/PT and "Ellis Island," a program about the history of the island at approximately 9:00 PM ET/PT.

"The Statue of Liberty has worldwide significance and I am grateful to American Express for giving me the opportunity to help in the effort to reopen her doors," said Martin Scorsese, filmmaker. "The Statue had a profound effect on my grandparents when they first arrived in America in the early 20th century. Through the documentary, I hope to convey that the ideas and values the Statue symbolizes are as powerful and relevant today as they were when the
statue was dedicated back in 1886. Reopening the Statue to the public is crucial, and I am pleased to be a part of such an important campaign."

The Scorsese documentary will address the meaning and history of both the concept of "liberty," as it's played out in American history, and of the Statue itself. Through stills, archival images, commentary and interviews with historians, philosophers and legal scholars, Scorsese intends to reconnect the Statue to its original meaning, the celebration of the end of
slavery, and his film will speak to its purpose as a gift of friendship from the French government. At the same time, the documentary will follow the history of the Statue, from its conception through present day.

"Supporting the Statue of Liberty is an important part of American Express' own heritage," explained Kenneth I. Chenault, Chairman and CEO, American Express. "Generations of our employees have looked out at the Statue from our headquarters in lower Manhattan and we have provided support whenever it was needed. We are delighted that Martin Scorsese is embracing the campaign by lending his talent and time to help us raise the awareness of this
important cause. Through this documentary and our nationwide fundraising and awareness campaign, we hope people around the world will rediscover the Statue's role as a symbol of hope and freedom."

"Our mission at The History Channel is to make history come alive by providing insightful content, context and analysis of historical events through our programming," stated Dan Davids, Executive Vice President and General Manager of The History Channel. "We are delighted to join American Express and Martin Scorsese to present this important production to our viewers. The Statue of Liberty symbolizes the intrinsic values of life--freedom, integrity and honor for all mankind. 'Lady By the Sea: The Statue of Liberty' is the perfect centerpiece for an evening dedicated to one of our most treasured landmarks."

American Express, a company that traces its support of the Statue of Liberty back to 1885, announced its nationwide campaign to help reopen the doors of the Statue of Liberty at a press conference on November 25, 2003 featuring New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Martin Scorsese. In addition to the documentary, the Company's campaign includes a series of awareness and fundraising initiatives. The Company has pledged a minimum of $3
million to The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc. that will go toward making critical safety improvements necessary to reopen the monument. The American Express contribution has two parts. The company will donate one cent to The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation for every purchase made on an American Express(R) Card of up to $2,500,000 from December 1, 2003 through January 31, 2004 and make a direct contribution of at least $500,000 to the Foundation. Cardmembers nationwide will be able to donate their
American Express Membership Rewards(R) points to The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, or make a direct contribution and charge it to the Card(1). Those who donate $100 or more to the cause during December and January will receive the Scorsese documentary in DVD format.

For more information or to donate please visit http://www.statueofliberty.org or call 212-561-4588. To make a donation using Membership Rewards points, visit http://www.americanexpress.com or call 1-800-AXP-EARN.