Showing posts with label USPS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label USPS. Show all posts

Sunday, January 07, 2024

2024 USPS Black Heritage stamp series to honor Constance Baker Motley

The 47th stamp in the Black Heritage series honors Constance Baker Motley (1921–2005), the first African American woman known to have argued a case before the United States Supreme Court and the first to serve as a federal judge. The stamp features a portrait of Motley created by Charly Palmer. The stenciled circular shapes create a subtle crowning effect, and the heavy brushstrokes and scratches add texture to the acrylic-on-canvas work. Stenciled curlicues embellish the lower background and continue onto Motley’s black dress. Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp.

Constance Baker Motley started her career in 1945 when she began working for the future U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

From 1945 to 1965, Motley worked on about 60 cases that reached the Supreme Court. She won nine of the 10 cases she argued before the Court.

In 1966, Motley was nominated by President Lyndon B. Johnson to a seat on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York — the largest and busiest federal trial court in the country. She rose to chief judge in 1982 and senior judge in 1986.

The stamp features a portrait of Motley by artist Charly Palmer, based on an Associated Press photograph. Rendered in acrylic on canvas work, the portrait displays elements of Palmer’s signature style. The stenciled circular shapes around the head suggest royalty, and the heavy brushstrokes and scratches provide added textures. Stenciled curlicues embellish the lower background and continue onto Motley’s black dress. Her colorful corsage and a brooch further enliven the image.

The Constance Baker Motley stamp will be issued in panes of 20. Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

The Constance Baker Motley Stamp can be purchashed here at USPS.cpm https://store.usps.com/store/product/buy-stamps/constance-baker-motley-stamps-S_484404

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Rep. John Lewis to be honored with postage stamp in 2023

The U.S. Postal Service has announced that the late congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis will be honored with a postage stamp in 2023.

This stamp celebrates the life and legacy of civil rights leader and U.S. Rep. John Lewis (1940-2020) of Georgia. Devoted to equality and justice for all Americans, Lewis spent more than 30 years in Congress steadfastly defending and building on key civil rights gains that he had helped achieve in the 1960s. Even in the face of hatred and violence, as well as some 45 arrests, Lewis remained resolute in his commitment to what he liked to call “good trouble.” The stamp features a photograph of Lewis taken by Marco Grob on assignment for the Aug. 26, 2013, issue of Time magazine. The selvage showcases a photograph of Lewis taken by Steve Schapiro in 1963 outside a workshop about nonviolent protest in Clarksdale, MS. Derry Noyes served as art director for this project.

Thursday, December 30, 2021

45th Black Heritage Stamp series honors sculptor Edmonia Lewis

The 45th stamp in the USPS Black Heritage series honors sculptor Edmonia Lewis (circa 1844-1907). As the first African American and Native American sculptor to achieve international recognition, Lewis challenged social barriers and assumptions about artists in mid-19th century America.

The stamp art is a casein-on-wood portrait of Lewis, based on a photograph taken in Boston between 1864 and 1871. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp with original art by Alex Bostic.

The stamp's first day of issue will be January 26, 2022 where it will be unveiled during a ceremony at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. The stamp can be purchased at the postal service's online store and at post offices.

The stamp will be sold in panes of 20 and can be purchased at the USPS site here: Edmonia Lewis Stamp

Tuesday, July 06, 2021

2021 Black Heritage stamps honor August Wilson

“No one should think that Black history is confined to the month of February, when evidence to the contrary appears everywhere and in every month. Black History Month is not a token,” says Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, national president for the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). “It is a special tribute — a time of acknowledgement, of reflection and inspiration — that comes to life in real and ongoing activities throughout the year, just as the work of ASALH has for 106 years steadily asserted both racial pride and the centrality of race and the black experience to the American narrative and heritage.”

Black History Month officially kicks off each year when the Postal Service announces the Black Heritage Forever stamp. The 2021 honoree is legendary playwright August Wilson. He is 44th in the series of distinguished African American men and women who have received one of the nation’s highest honors — appearing on a U.S. postage stamp. The first in the series featured abolitionist Harriet Tubman in 1978. Also included is Carter G. Woodson, the father of Black history and creator of Negro History Week, which later became Black History Month.

August Wilson’s work focused on the black experience and he was hailed as a trailblazer for helping to bring nonmusical African American drama to the forefront of American theater.

As a literary genius, Wilson collected innumerable accolades, including seven New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards; a Tony Award for 1987’s “Fences”; and two Pulitzer Prizes — for “Fences” and 1990’s “The Piano Lesson.” His play “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” was recently adapted for film and released on Netflix.

You can celebrate Black Heritage and own a piece of history by purchasing the August Wilson Forever stamp at Post Office locations nationwide and online at usps.com/wilsonstamps.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Gwen Ifill to be honored with 2020 Black Heritage Series Stamp by USPS

In 2020 the U.S. Postal Service will honor the late PBS NewsHour anchor Gwen Ifill with a commemorative Forever stamp.

The 43rd stamp in the Black Heritage series honors Gwen Ifill (1955–2016), one of America’s most esteemed journalists. Ifill, who died in November 2016 after battling cancer, became the first African American woman to host a national political TV talk show with her 1999 host-debut on PBS' Washington Week.

The stamp features a photo of Ifill taken in 2008 by photographer Robert Severi. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp.

Friday, August 23, 2019

Post office to be named for hero who saved people during mass shooting

Congresswoman Elaine Luria (VA-02) today announced that her bill naming a Virginia Beach post office after Ryan Keith Cox has been signed into law .

A White House official notified Congresswoman Luria Wednesday evening that the President signed the bill after swift bipartisan and bicameral passage in the House and Senate last month.

Now law, the bill honors Cox, one of 12 people killed in the shooting. According to witness accounts, he sacrificed his own life to save colleagues during the shooting. Rejecting coworkers’ calls to take refuge, Cox stood his ground in a hallway and said: “I’ve got to see if anybody else needs help.”

“Virginia Beach and our entire Commonwealth will never forget Keith Cox’s courageous efforts to save his fellow Virginians,” Congresswoman Luria said. “The post office building will serve as a permanent reminder of his bravery and sacrifice. It’s an honor to recognize a true community hero.”

Located at 2509 George Mason Drive, the currently unnamed post office will be known as the Ryan Keith Cox Post Office Building. The full Virginia congressional delegation supported the legislation.

Sunday, November 25, 2018

Marvin Gaye, Gregory Hines honored with 2019 USPS stamps

CHECK OUT THE 2021 BLACK HERITAGE STAMP HONORING AUGUST WILSON HERE: https://www.africanamericanreports.com/2021/07/2021-black-heritage-stamps-honor-august.html

Entertainment icons Marvin Gaye and Gregory Hines will soon be honored with Forever stamps, the United States Postal Service (USPS) announced this week.

The late legends will be featured among new commemorative stamps issued in 2019, continuing a USPS tradition started in 1847 of celebrating people, events, and cultural milestones that are unique to U.S. history. Exact release dates for the stamps have yet to be announced.

“The miniature works of art illustrated in the 2019 stamp program offer something for everyone’s interest about American history and culture,” said U.S. Postal Service Stamp Services Executive Director Mary-Anne Penner.

“From legendary poet Walt Whitman to the entertainment genius of Gregory Hines to the majestic beauty of our Wild and Scenic Rivers, this program is diverse and wide-ranging and tells America’s story on stamps.”

The 42nd stamp in the Black Heritage series honors Hines (1946–2003), whose unique style of tap dancing injected new artistry and excitement into a traditional American form.

A versatile performer who danced, acted and sang on Broadway, on television, and in movies like Tap, Waiting to Exhale and White Knights, Hines developed the entertainment traditions of tap into an art form for a younger generation. He is credited with renewing interest in tap during the 1990s. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp, which features a 1988 photograph by Jack Mitchell.

Gaye’s stamp is featured in the Music Icons series. The R&B crooner — best known for songs “What’s Going On,” “Let’s Get It On,” “Sexual Healing” and a slew of early Motown songs like “Heard It Through the Grapevine” — is one of the most influential singers of his generation. The stamp design features a portrait of Gaye inspired by historic photographs.

The stamp pane is designed to resemble a vintage 45 rpm record sleeve. One side of the pane includes the stamps, brief text about Gaye’s legacy, and the image of a sliver of a record seeming to peek out the top of the sleeve. Another portrait of Gaye, also inspired by historic photographs, appears on the reverse along with the Music Icons series logo. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp pane with original art by Kadir Nelson.

Customers may purchase stamps through the Postal Store at usps.com/shop, by calling 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724), by mail through USA Philatelic, or at a local post office.

Thursday, February 08, 2018

Postal Service Saluting Black History Month With Lena Horne Stamp

The USPS has issued the 41st stamp in the Black Heritage series honoring the achievements of legendary performer and civil rights activist Lena Horne (1917–2010). The stamp art features a photograph taken by Christian Steiner in the 1980s. Kristen Monthei colorized the black-and-white photograph. Remembered as one of America‘s great interpreters of popular songs, Horne was also a trailblazer in Hollywood for women of color. She used her personal elegance, charisma, and fame to become an important spokesperson for civil rights.

The stamp art features a photograph of Lena Horne taken by Christian Steiner in the 1980s. Kristen Monthei colorized the original black-and-white photo, adding a background reminiscent of Horne’s Stormy Weather album, with a few clouds to add texture and subtly make the album reference. “Lena Horne” is written along the bottom of the stamp, with “Black Heritage,” the stamp series title, at the top. “USA” and “Forever” appear on the lower right-hand side above Horne’s name. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp.

Order the stamp here: USPS: The Lena Horne Stamp

Thursday, September 28, 2017

The National Museum Of African American History And Culture Is Getting Its Own Stamp

The National Museum of African American History and Culture will finally make its stamp debut next month after its issuance date was initially postponed by the US Postal Services.

The “Celebrating African American History and Culture Forever stamp” recognizes the richness of black history and its intrinsic connection to American history. It is also part of the US Postal Services Forever series and will go on sale Oct. 13 after a dedication ceremony at the actual museum.

“Black history is inseparable from American history, and the black experience represents a profound and unique strand of the American story,” USPS said. “This stamp issuance recognizes the richness of that experience by celebrating the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC.”

[SOURCE: ESSENCE]

Tuesday, February 04, 2014

Shirley Chisholm stamp released by US Postal Service.

The Shirley Chisolm Stamp is the 37th stamp in the Black Heritage series features a painting of Chisholm by artist Robert Shetterly. The compelling portrait is taken from a series of paintings titled “Americans Who Tell the Truth.” Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp.

After her election to Congress, Chisholm scored another historic first in 1972 when she declared her candidacy for the Democratic nomination for President. She later wrote of her unsuccessful bid, “The next time a woman runs, or a black, or a Jew or anyone from a group that the country is 'not ready' to elect to its highest office, I believe that he or she will be taken seriously from the start...I ran because somebody had to do it first.”

The Shirley Chisholm stamps are being issued as Forever” stamps in self-adhesive sheets of 20. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail” one-ounce rate.

Buy the stamp here: USPS.COM