SWE - Winter 2009 - (Page 40) The Black Heritage Stamp Series The Black Heritage stamp series includes notable AfricanAmerican civil rights leaders and activists, scientists, educators, authors, inventors, entrepreneurs, entertainers, artists, and athletes. Every fall, the U.S. Postal Service unveils the name of the individual who will be honored with a stamp the following year. Since 1978, the agency has issued stamps celebrating the contributions of the following individuals: Harriet Tubman 1978 Martin Luther King Jr. 1979 Benjamin Banneker 1980 Whitney Moore Young 1981 Jackie Robinson 1982 Scott Joplin 1983 Carter G. Woodson 1984 Mary McLeod Bethune 1985 Sojourner Truth 1986 Jean Baptiste DuSable 1987 James Weldon Johnson 1988 A. Philip Randolph 1989 Ida B. Wells 1990 Jan E. Matzeliger 1991 W.E.B. Du Bois 1992 Percy Lavon Julian 1993 Dr. Allison Davis 1994 Bessie Coleman 1995 Ernest E. Just 1996 Benjamin O. Davis Sr. 1997 Madam C.J. Walker 1998 Malcolm X 1999 Patricia Roberts Harris 2000 Roy Wilkins 2001 Langston Hughes 2002 Thurgood Marshall 2003 Paul Robeson 2004 Marian Anderson 2005 Hattie McDaniel 2006 Ella Fitzgerald 2007 Charles W. Chesnutt 2008 Anna Julia Cooper 2009 lectibles. The artistry they carry celebrates achievements in every aspect of life, from science to the arts, and offers a timeless and educational glimpse into America’s rich history and culture. In 2008, for instance, the Postal Service issued the second installment of its American Scientists series. Each stamp is a collage that portrays a scientist as well as diagrams and other representations associated with the contributions the scientist made. Additionally, the back of each stamp provides information about the elements in the collage. Every year, the Postal Service receives thousands of proposals for stamp subjects. The Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee, on behalf of the postmaster general, considers every submission that meets specific criteria. According to the Postal Service, the committee provides a “breadth of judgment and depth of experience in various areas that influence subject matter, character, and beauty of postage stamps.” The committee recommends approximately 25 new commemorative stamps each year, looking for those that are interesting, educational, and of broad national interest. To learn more about the Black Heritage and other stamp series, visit the Postal Service’s Web site at www.usps.com. I founder of Negro History week, the precursor to Black History Month. The 2009 Black Heritage stamp features Anna Julia Cooper, Ph.D., educator, author, and the fourth African-American woman to earn a doctoral degree. Dispelling the rumor In the late 1990s, false e-mails and media reports began to circulate claiming the Postal Service planned to discontinue the Black Heritage series because of low sales. Further, the fallacious stories claimed that the agency would destroy any stamps remaining in stock. The e-mails urged people to purchase more of the stamps in an effort to save the series. To dispel the myth, the Postal Service issued press releases in 2000 and 2005, assuring the public it had no plans to terminate the series. As the tale continued to proliferate, the agency issued another statement in 2007, reiterating its plans to continue the series and citing it as one of its most popular: “The Postal Service remains as strongly committed to honoring the historical achievements and contributions of African-Americans on stamps as we’ve always been.” All images are courtesy of the United States Postal Service. More than just postage Stamps are much more than a means of paying for mail delivery. And, their value extends far beyond their popularity as col- 40 SWE WINTER 2009 http://www.usps.com
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