Sunday Funnies Comic Strips Debut on Stamps
COLUMBUS, OH — The U.S. Postal Service celebrated five newspaper comic strips by dedicating the Sunday Funnies stamps today. The 44-cent First-Class stamps honor comic strips: Archie, Beetle Bailey, Dennis the Menace, Garfield and Calvin and Hobbes. The strips, as well as their characters, may have changed over the years, yet each remains an enduring classic.
”Like stamps, comic strips often tell a story through humor, adventure, fantasy and sometimes even drama,” said U.S. Postal Service Eastern Area Vice President Megan Brennan. “Today, we are gathered to commemorate five of our country’s most beloved comic strips and dedicate an amazing stamp pane that represents a unique part of American culture.”
Brennan dedicated the stamps at The Ohio State University, home of the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum. Joining in the dedication were The Ohio State University Executive Vice President and Provost Joseph Alutto and The Ohio State University Libraries Director Carol Pitts Diedrichs. Special guests included Beetle Bailey creator Mort Walker; Garfield creator Jim Davis; Dennis the Menace artists Marcus Hamilton and Ron Ferdinand; Archie Comics newspaper strip writer Craig Goldman; and, Calvin and Hobbes Editor Lee Salem.
Art director Ethel Kessler of Bethesda, MD, selected the images appearing on the stamps.
The Archie stamp features Archie sharing a chocolate shake with brunette Veronica Lodge on his right and blonde Betty Cooper on his left. Offering an idealized portrait of American adolescence, Archie existed only in comic-book form before debuting in newspapers in 1946. A typical small-town teenager with a knack for goofing things up, 17-year-old Archie Andrews is often torn between haughty Veronica and sweet Betty.
The Beetle Bailey stamp features Beetle, smiling calmly while Sarge loses his cool. A military strip with universal appeal, Beetle Bailey first appeared in September 1950. Possibly the laziest man in the army, Private Beetle Bailey is an expert at sleeping and avoiding work. His chronic indolence antagonizes Sergeant Orville P. Snorkel, who is tough on his men but calls them “my boys.”
The Calvin and Hobbes stamp captures the precocious six-year-old and his tiger pal making scary — and ridiculous — faces. Calvin and Hobbes explores the fantasy life of six-year-old Calvin and his tiger, Hobbes. The inseparable friends ponder the mysteries of the world and test the fortitude of Calvin’s parents, who never know where their son’s imagination will take him. The strip ran from November 1985 to December 1995.
The Dennis the Menace stamp features five-year-old Dennis dressed in red coveralls and striped shirt running off to some new adventure. Dennis the Menace follows the antics of Dennis Mitchell, a good-hearted but mischievous little boy who is perpetually “five-ana-half” years old. His curiosity tests the patience of his loving parents and neighbors, guaranteeing that their lives are anything but dull. The comic debuted in March 1951 as a single-panel gag.
The Garfield stamp features the crabby tabby standing back to back with Odie, a carefree, energetic dog. Garfield first waddled onto the comics page in June 1978. Self-centered and cynical, Garfield hates Mondays and loves lasagna. He lives with Jon Arbuckle, a bumbling bachelor with a fatally flawed fashion sense, and Odie, a dopey-but-devoted dog.
source: USPS
California Congressman Michael Honda Calls for More Asian American-Themed Stamps
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Michael Honda (CA-15) sent a letter to the Postmaster General recommending that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) issue more stamps celebrating Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). While the USPS does produce some AAPI-themed stamps, they are not issued as frequently as other American heritage stamps. In fact, only 33 Asian American-themed stamps have ever been issued.
“Stamps are like history teachers, educating us on significant, and often omitted, social, cultural and political occurrences in America’s past,” said Rep Michael Honda, Chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. “Many minority communities, left out of the traditional history schoolbook, rightly receive recognition via the US postal stamp. Asian American and Pacific Islander communities are one such group and while there is a precedent for AAPI-themed stamps, few have gone beyond cultural comment only. Lunar New Year, for example, has comprised nearly half of all AAPI-themed stamps to date. Today we are calling for something more socio-politically substantial. Stamps that remember the Japanese-American internment camps, the Chinese laborers who built the Transcontinental Railroad, or the roughly 11 million AAPI veterans who served our country, among many other meritorious memorials, is a necessary next step in mainstreaming a minority group that remains marginalized from the postal service’s primary platform for remembering America’s history.” – US Representative Michael Honda, Chairman, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.
There are approximately 16.6 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders currently living in the United States. In addition to being one of the most ethnically-diverse communities, it is also one of the fastest growing; by 2050, the AAPI population is expected to more than double. Just some of the AAPI individuals who could be proudly displayed on a U.S. stamp include:
- Patsy Takemoto Mink, the first woman of color elected to Congress and a strong advocate for educational equality for women;
- Judge Herbert Choy, the first Asian American to serve as a U.S. federal judge; and
- Ellison Onizuka, the first Japanese American space astronaut.
“I have the honor of representing an extremely diverse district, including many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders,” said Rep. Loretta Sanchez (CA-47), Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Vietnam. “Unfortunately, the AAPI community’s significant contributions to literature, science, government, business, and the arts are not adequately reflected on U.S. stamps. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have enriched the lives of communities across the country, and I think the U.S. Postal Service should do more to honor their history.”
Reps. Honda and Sanchez, are joined by members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, namely Eni Faleomavaega (AS), Madeleine Bordallo (GU), David Wu (OR-1), Gregorio Sablan (CNMI), Charles Djou (HI-1), Barbara Lee (CA-9), and Bob Filner (CA-51). The text of the letter is available below:
To the members of the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee:
We write to respectfully ask you to recommend to the Postmaster General that stamps celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) heritage and honoring AAPI contributions be issued each year. Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, which is the month of May each year, presents the perfect opportunity to issue commemorative stamps that reflect the diversity within our community and the contributions of AAPIs.
Since the Committee’s inception, only 43 Asian American and Pacific Islander themed stamps have been issued. This does not do justice to the rich diversity of this community and the myriad contributions this community has made to our country. Currently, there are approximately 16.6 million AAPIs living in the United States, with 45 distinct ethnic groups within our populations, speaking various dialects within each group. It is certainly a diverse community, and one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in the U.S. By 2050, the Asian Pacific Islander population is expected to more than double, and reach 40.6 million, or 9% of the population.
AAPIs have made countless contributions to our country throughout our nation’s history that warrant recognition on the face of a stamp. These include:
- The Chinese laborers that helped build the Transcontinental Railroad;
- Remembering the Japanese American Internment during World War II;
- Honoring the 10.7 million AAPI veterans, including the contributions of Nisei veterans and Filipino veterans during World War II;
- Dalip Singh Saund, the first Asian American elected to Congress in 1956 to represent the 29th district of California, which included Riverside and Imperial counties;
- Patsy Takemoto Mink, the first woman of color elected to Congress in 1964, and champion of educational equality for women;
- Judge Herbert Choy, a Korean American judge who was the first AAPI to serve as a U.S. federal judge;
- Anna May Wong, Chinese American Hollywood trailblazer;
- Ellison Onizuka, the first Japanese American space astronaut. He lost his life when the Space Shuttle Challenger was destroyed;
- Remembering the 52 survivors of the ship that was stranded in the Pacific Ocean in 1988 and ultimately rescued by Filipino fisherman into the Island of Bolinao, and;
- The many Chinatowns, Japantowns, Little Saigons, and other thriving ethnic communities throughout our country in major regions including Orange County and San Jose California.
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, which is the month of May each year, presents the unique opportunity to recognize the contributions of AAPIs throughout our history through commemorative stamps. In June 1977, Reps. Frank Horton of New York and Norman Y. Mineta of California introduced a House resolution that called upon the president to proclaim the first ten days of May as Asian-Pacific Heritage Week. The following month, senators Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga introduced a similar bill in the Senate. Both were passed. On October 5, 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed a Joint Resolution designating the annual celebration. Twelve years later, President George H.W. Bush signed an extension making the week-long celebration into a month-long celebration. In 1992, the official designation of May as Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month was signed into law. This particular month was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States and the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, as they each took placed in the month of May.
We ask that the rich diversity and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders be fairly represented and celebrated in the stamps issued by the United States Postal Service. If you have any questions about our request, please do not hesitate to contact Gladys Barcena in Congresswoman Loretta’s Sanchez office at (202) 225-2965 or gladys.barcena[ at] mail.house.gov . , or Gloria Chan in Congressman Michael Honda’s office at (202) 225-2631 or gloria.chan[ at]mail.house.gov
Congresswomen Introduce Bill To Honor Two Postal Employees Who Died In Anthrax Attack
The following is a press release from the office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton:
April 28, 2010
WASHINGTON, DC- Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced a resolution, along with Congresswoman Donna Edwards (D-MD-04) as an original co-sponsor, to honor the lives of Joseph Curseen, Jr. and Thomas Morris, Jr. with a commemorative stamp issued by the United States Postal Service. Both men died in the anthrax attack at the Brentwood Post Office in the District, now named in their honor. “These two men, born and raised in the District, dedicated their combined 52 years of service to their country and to the United States Postal Service as committed employees,” Norton said. “A commemorative stamp, not only will honor the memory of their service and sacrifice, but will also remind Americans of the work and diligence of all of those who protect the American people and the homeland.” The two men, who resided in Congresswoman Donna Edwards’ congressional district, are eligible for stamp commemoration, because the five-year time period since their deaths has passed.”
Norton’s statement on the resolution is attached.
REMARKS OF
CONGRESSWOMAN ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON
ON THE INTRODUCTION OF THE
Anthrax Attack Commemorative Stamp Resolution
April 28, 2010
Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, today I introduce a resolution directing the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee to recommend to the Postmaster General that a commemorative stamp be issued to honor the lives of Joseph Curseen, Jr. and Thomas Morris, Jr., the two United States Postal Service (USPS) workers, and District of Columbia natives, who died as a result of their exposure to anthrax while working at the USPS facility located at 900 Brentwood Road, NE, Washington, D.C., during the 2001 anthrax attack. This commemorative stamp meets the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee’s requirement that no postal item may be issued sooner than five years after an individual’s death.
Joseph Curseen, Jr. and Thomas Morris, Jr. served the USPS honorably and diligently for a combined period of 52 years until their deaths on October 22, 2001, and October 21, 2001, respectively. Curseen, remembered as a quiet man with a fuzzy mustache, loved to tell stories and loved his church. He was so dedicated to his work, that during the 15 years that he worked for the USPS, he never called in sick. His co-workers described him as someone who was kind and courteous, who stayed at the Post Office seven days a week, giving up breaks to get the mail out, and who regularly led a postal worker Bible study group. In his neighborhood of Cambridge Estates, Maryland, Curseen was the president of the homeowners association, an avid jogger, and a member of St. John the Evangelist Church. To his neighbors, Curseen was someone who everyone knew, who was friendly, and who worked quietly, but “really got things done.” He helped build a playground and park in the Cambridge Estates area, even though he and his wife had no children. Although Curseen lived in Clinton, Maryland, he grew up in Southeast D.C., where Our Lady of Perpetual Help Roman Catholic Church was his childhood parish and school. Curseen’s wife, Celestine Willingham Curseen, to whom he was married for 16 years, described her late husband as a generous, kind, hard-working man who will be greatly missed.
Thomas Morris, Jr. also grew up in the District of Columbia, although he and his family moved to Suitland, Maryland. Before joining the USPS, Morris served in the United States Air Force. Morris joined the USPC in 1973 and worked as a distribution clerk. He was a hard worker who had no aversion to working overtime, a proud husband and father of one son and two stepchildren, as well as the president of a bowling league team. To his neighbors, Morris was a quiet, thoughtful, deeply religious and humble man, who dispensed helpful, and often paternal, advice to his younger neighbors. His wife, Mary, described him as true to others and to himself, as someone who was respectful and law-abiding.
Please join me in honoring the lives of these two men, who died serving their country, and in requesting a commemorative stamp in their memory.
I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
New Book and Stamped Postal Cards Honor America’s National Parks
WASHINGTON — America’s national parks are the subject of stamped postal cards and a new
co-branded book released today by the U.S. Postal Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Park Service.
During a special first-day-of-issue ceremony at The Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum, Postmaster General John E. Potter was joined by Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar to unveil the Scenic American Landscapes Premium Stamped Postal Cards. The booklet of 20 cards with 10 designs is based on previously released international postage stamps, which are pre-printed on the cards. The postal card booklet’s retail price is $14.95.
“Through the stamp program, the Postal Service has always recognized the importance of our national parks,” said Potter. “And in recent decades, we’ve recognized the need to treat our entire natural environment with the same measure of care and respect. We have an Office of Sustainability that is dedicated to this purpose. Two days from today, it will lead us in the celebration of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day.”
Potter noted that this week, April 17-25, is National Park Week. In the spirit of the week’s celebration, Potter said it is fitting that the Postal Service also has teamed up with the National Park Service on a new book being released today called The Grandest Things: Our National Parks in Words, Images, and Stamps.
“I can think of no better way to kick off National Park Week than to make available a book that combines two of America’s great passions: our love of beautiful and historic places and our enthusiasm for telling our nation’s story through our postage stamps,” Salazar said.
The 116-page book tells the fascinating story of America’s national parks through stamps and other memorabilia. It includes a visual tour of more than 75 parks and monuments. It also has a special stamp collecting section and comes with nine stamps with mounts, including the 8-cent 1972 Old Faithful/Yellowstone stamp. The book’s retail price is $49.95.
To purchase the postcards and the book, shop online at www.usps.com/shop or call 800-STAMP-24.
The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 150 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no direct support from taxpayers. With 36,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, the Postal Service relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $68 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 28th in the 2009 Fortune 500.
How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamped cards at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store website at www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. Customers should place them in a larger envelope along with a self-addressed stamped return envelope and send them to:
Scenic American Landscapes Postal Cards
Special Cancellations
PO Box 92282
Washington, DC 20090-2282
After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the stamped cards in the
pre-stamped return envelope. There is no charge for the postmark. All orders must be postmarked by June 21, 2010.
10,000 Activists Call for USPS to Honor Dean Martin with Postage Stamp
Washington, DC (PRWEB) April 19, 2010 — In just a few weeks since it launched, a groundbreaking new activist effort, launched via the Facebook platform, has already swelled to over 10,000 supporters calling for the US Postal Service to issue a stamp honoring Dean Martin. (http://Facebook.com/DeanMartinStamp or http://DeanMartinStamp.com)
Launched as a shoestring effort by two brothers, George Hlinko and John Hlinko, the effort has taken off like wildfire through “word of mouse” spreading. At this point, it appears to be the largest effort by far on Facebook in support of a new stamp.
“Dean Martin was a superstar of song, film, and television – a trifecta that few entertainers have achieved,” said George Hlinko, founder of the effort. “It’s high time that the US Postal Service honor this true American icon with his own postage stamp.”
The Hlinko brothers launched the effort on February 21, 2010, via a single page on Facebook. It quickly took off, generating thousands of supporters within weeks, as well as a constant stream of fans posts praising Mr. Martin’s work, debating over favorite songs, and showing his genius through posted videos.
“I’ve been doing grassroots advocacy for years, and it’s hard to think of a person who’s generated anywhere near the enthusiasm of Dean Martin,” said John Hlinko, a netroots activist since the mid 1990’s. “The only questions I have for the US Postal Service are, one, when are you going to do this, and two, will you be able to print them fast enough to keep up with the demand?”
The two have announced plans to ramp up the effort in coming weeks, including directing supporters to lobby directly the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee, the entity responsible for reviewing requests for new stamps.
About The “Dean Martin Stamp” Leadership:
George Hlinko, who came up with the idea for the effort, is a longtime fan of classic movies and music, with a nearly encyclopedic knowledge of the subject that has earned him the nickname, “Rain Man” from family and friends. He has worked as a New York State Court Officer for years, and was specifically recognized for his work assisting with rescue efforts on 9/11.
John Hlinko is the head of Hlinko Consulting, a grassroots communications firm in Washington, DC. A long-time grassroots/netroots activist and innovator, Hlinko was named one of the top 5 PR professionals of the year by “PR Week,” and also One of world’s top 25, “individuals, organizations and companies that are having the greatest impact on the way the Internet is changing politics,” by the World Forum on e-Democracy.
George is an ardent Republican and John is an ardent Democrat. In addition to their Grandma Parrilli’s unmatched tomato sauce, Dean Martin is about the only thing they can agree on.
(Disclaimer: While this effort is taking advantage of the Facebook Platform®, it is in no way officially connected with or endorsed by Facebook. Further, it solely a fan-driven effort, and is in no way connected with Mr. Martin’s family, record company, or other professional affiliation)
USPS Unveils ‘Adopt A Shelter Pet’ Stamps On Ellen DeGeneres Show
“Stamps to the Rescue” promotional poster to be distributed to Post Offices and other retail outlets nationwide.
The commemorative sheet of stamps continues a half-century tradition of promoting attention and awareness of national social issues. The set features photographs of 10 shelter pets adopted through the Animal Welfare Society of New Milford, CT. The stamps go on sale April 30 following a first-day-of-issuance (FDOI) ceremony at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in Hollywood.
The Postal Service is working with DeGeneres — a well-known advocate for pet adoption — and Halo, a pet food company she co-owns. As its contribution to the 8-week “Stamps to the Rescue” promotion, Halo will donate 1 million meals to animal shelters across the country. “This is a subject I am extremely passionate about,” said DeGeneres. “By working together, we can find good homes for millions of adoptable, homeless and abandoned pets.”
In addition to Potter’s appearance on the show, USPS is participating in the promotion with posters and counter cards in Post Offices. From April 30 through May 14, USPS will promote shelter pet adoption with a special cancellation on its automated equipment.
“These stamps continue a 50-year Postal Service tradition of bringing attention to serious social issues of the day — one letter at a time,” said Potter. “Our hope is these stamps will encourage pet adoption and promote humane and responsible pet care.”
Anticipating the popularity of the series, the Postal Service has printed 300 million stamps — 15 million sheets — and is prepared to print more if 7.5 million sheets are sold by the end of May.
Starting today at 9 a.m. ET, information on the stamps and promotion events is available on usps.com and also stamps to the rescue.com, a microsite developed to promote the stamps.
source: USPS News Link
U.S. Postal Service Honors Abstract Expressionists
Ten Revolutionary Works of Art Make Debut as Postage Stamps
Abstract Expressionists
BUFFALO, NY — The U.S. Postal Service today honored the artistic innovations and achievements of a group of artists who moved the United States to the forefront of the international art scene with the release of the Abstract Expressionists commemorative postage stamps. The vibrant stamps feature works by Hans Hoffmann, Mark Rothko, Clyfford Still, Barnett Newman, Robert Motherwell, Adolph Gottlieb, Arshile Gorky, Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock and Joan Mitchell.
“These bold artists used art to express complicated ideas and primitive emotions in simplified, abstract form,” said Linda Kingsley, USPS senior vice president, Strategy and Transition. “Although these stamps can’t compare in size to their real-life canvases, they bring the passion and spirit of abstract expressionism to an envelope near you. The Postal Service is proud to pay tribute to the legacy and unique perspectives of these revolutionary artists.”
Abstract expressionists believed that art no longer depicted experience but became the experience itself. They emphasized spontaneous, free expression and allowed personal intuition and the unconscious to guide their choice of imagery. Other shared traits include the use of large canvases and an emphasis on paint texture and distinctive brushstrokes.
“The abstract expressionists began one of the most important art movements in the last century, placing New York and American art at the very center of the art world for the first time,” noted Louis Grachos, director of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, NY, home of four of the works featured on the stamps. “The Albright-Knox Art Gallery was one of the first museums to begin collecting abstract expressionist paintings, and we are very proud that work from our collection was chosen by the Postal Service as some of the finest examples of the period.”
One of the most influential art teachers of the 20th century, Hans Hofmann (1880-1966) pioneered a method of improvisational painting that helped shape the development of abstract art after World War II. The Golden Wall (1961) features his trademark “push and pull” technique: geometric shapes that animate the canvas by seeming to shift and overlap.
Adolph Gottlieb (1903-1974) created a uniquely American blend of inspiration from late medieval and early Italian Renaissance masters, European cubism, and the freely expressive line of surrealism in his innovative “Pictographs” of the 1940s. Romanesque Façade (1949) brings together his aspiration to be intuitively understandable to everyone and to convey a universal emotional reality.
Mark Rothko (1903-1970) is best known for his monumental paintings of two or more rectangles floated within a field of color. Orange and Yellow (1956) features two rectangles painted in the vibrant tones that Rothko favored. Far from static, the rectangles seem to stretch and contract, while translucent, luminous colors bring them to life.
Influencing much of the American abstract art that followed, Arshile Gorky (1904-1948) developed an original style that combined cubism and surrealism with his own disguised imagery. The Liver Is the Cock’s Comb (1944) — one of his largest and greatest pictures — uses abstract forms to camouflage a deeply personal portrait of his family at home.
Clyfford Still (1904-1980) painted ponderous, abstract canvases to convey universal themes about the human condition. 1948-C (1948) illustrates his signature style of richly textured surfaces, expressive lines and shapes, and sublime color in an expansive field. Still kept tight control of his work, much of which has never been seen.
Willem de Kooning (1904-1997) transformed the traditions of European art to create his own energetic and unconstrained style. While much of his work was entirely abstract, de Kooning’s best-known paintings blend abstraction and figural representation. Skittering black lines, shifting shapes, fragmented body parts, and flashes of color fill the surface of his 1948 work Asheville.
Barnett Newman (1905-1970) created deceptively simple works often characterized by large, even expanses of a single color punctuated by one or more vertical lines, which he called “zips.” One of several works based on ancient Greek mythology, Achilles (1952) does not feature a zip but rather a swath of red paint that moves down the canvas to end in a ragged edge.
Best known for his poured paintings, Jackson Pollock (1912-1956) created spontaneously painted works that marked a break with artistic tradition. For Convergence (1952), he laid blue and white clouds and loops of red and yellow atop a black-and-white base. The expressive color and drawing are so fresh that the paint still looks wet.
Robert Motherwell (1915-1991) viewed literature and philosophy as integral components of his art. He is best known for the “Elegy to the Spanish Republic” series, an ambitious group of somber abstract paintings. Elegy to the Spanish Republic No. 34 (1953-1954) features black bars and ovals and vertical white stripes that partly obscure colors that refer to the flag of the Spanish Republic.
Joan Mitchell (1925-1992) created expansive paintings with an energetic style distinguished by large gestural strokes, driving brushwork, and emotional intensity. She is perhaps best known for her ability to communicate the visual sentiments of nature — or, in her own words, “to convey the feeling of the dying sunflower.” La Grande Vallée 0 (1983) is one of 21 opulent French landscapes.
How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ facility, at The Postal Store website at usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:
Abstract Expressionists Stamp
c/o Postmaster
1200 William Street
Buffalo, NY 14240-9998
After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark. All orders must be postmarked by May 12, 2010.
How to Order First-Day Covers
Stamp Fulfillment Services also offers first-day covers for new stamp issues and Postal Service stationery items postmarked with the official first-day-of-issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the quarterly USA Philatelic Catalog. Customers may request a free catalog by calling 800-STAMP-24 or writing to:
Information Fulfillment
Dept. 6270
U.S. Postal Service
PO Box 219014
Kansas City, MO 64121-9014
The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
World War II's First Black Hero Among Four Sailors Honored on Stamps
Distinguished Sailors Saluted On Stamps
WASHINGTON — Four revered U.S. Navy icons were commemorated with a First-Class salute with the dedication of the Distinguished Sailors collectable stamps. Available nationwide today, the 44-cent stamps immortalize four sailors who served with bravery and distinction during the 20th Century: William S. Sims, Arleigh A. Burke, John McCloy and Doris “Dorie” Miller.
The dedication ceremony took place today at the United States Navy Memorial in Washington, DC.
“On behalf of the U.S. Postal Service, I am pleased to honor these four great sailors who impacted our nation and world,” said Potter. “These brave individuals represent the U.S. Navy’s proud legacy of service to this nation. Their example is an inspiration to every American.”
Joining Potter in dedicating the stamps were Juan M. Garcia III, Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs); Vice Admiral Samuel J. Locklear III, Director, Navy Staff; Edward K. Walker Jr., Rear Admiral, Supply Corps (Ret.) and United States Navy Memorial President; David A. Rosenberg, PhD, Naval Historian/Captain, U.S. Navy Reserves; Rep. Chet Edwards (D-TX); Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX); and, U.S. Postal Service Vice President, Supply Management, Susan M. Brownell.
“I am honored to recognize the contributions these great Americans made to our Navy and to our country,” said Garcia. “It is only fitting that their legacy of honor, courage and commitment be spotlighted by the United States Postal Service.”
The stamps, designed by Phil Jordan of Falls Church, VA, are based on photographs from Navy archives. Text along the top of the stamp sheet identifies the four sailors, the approximate date of each photograph, and a ship named in honor of each sailor.
William S. Sims
Commander of U.S. naval forces in European waters during World War I, Sims (1858-1936) was an outspoken reformer and innovator who helped shape the Navy into a modern fighting force. Frustrated by the Navy bureaucracy, he circumvented his superiors to get the Navy to adopt improved gunfire techniques that increased firing accuracy as ships rolled through ocean swells. He also is noted for promoting the convoy system that grouped ships closely together as they were accompanied by small numbers of Navy escorts while crossing the U-Boat infested Atlantic — saving countless lives in both world wars. The stamp features a detail from a 1919 photograph of Sims and depicts the crest of the destroyer escort USS W.S. Sims (DE-1059), commissioned in 1970.
Arleigh A. Burke
After serving as one of the top destroyer squadron commanders of World War II, Burke (1901-1996) had an equally distinguished postwar career in which he played a major role in modernizing the Navy and guiding its response to the Cold War. During World War II, he gained a reputation for brilliance and innovation while commanding Destroyer Squadron 23, known as “the Little Beavers.” The squadron fought in 22 separate actions in a four-month period, sinking or helping to sink nine enemy destroyers and downing 30 airplanes. He later served an unprecedented three terms as the Navy’s highest ranking officer — Chief of Naval Operations — to speed construction of nuclear-powered submarines and initiating the Polaris Ballistic Missile Program. His stamp, based on a 1951 photograph, depicts the crest of the guided missile destroyer USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51), commissioned in 1991.
John McCloy
Described by a shipmate as “like a bull” who couldn’t be stopped, McCloy (1876-1945) holds the distinction of being one of the few men in the nation’s history to earn two Medals of Honor for a rescue mission during the Boxer Rebellion in which he was wounded, and during the 1914 Mexican Revolt for intentionally exposing his boat to draw enemy fire to identify their positions for retaliation by U.S. cruiser gunfire. Shot in the thigh, he remained on post 48 hours until the brigade surgeon sent him to a hospital. In 1919 he was awarded the Navy Cross as commander of USS Curlew, which engaged in the “difficult and hazardous duty” of sweeping mines in the North Sea in the aftermath of World War I. His stamp is based on a circa 1920 photograph and depicts the crest of the destroyer escort, USS McCloy (DE-1038), commissioned in 1963.
Doris Miller
The first black American hero of World War II, Miller (1919-1943) became an inspiration to generations of Americans for his actions at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Serving aboard the battleship West Virginia as a mess attendant — the only job rating open to blacks at the time — Miller helped rescue scores of shipmates wounded or trapped in wreckage. He was later ordered to the bridge to help move the ship’s mortally wounded captain. Never trained in its operation, he manned an unattended 50-caliber machine gun to fire on Japanese aircraft until ordered to abandon the bridge as fires raged out of control. He was later awarded the Navy Cross. Miller was promoted in June 1943 to Officer’s Cook Third Class aboard the new escort aircraft carrier Liscome Bay and was killed in action on Nov. 24 that year along with more than 600 shipmates when an enemy torpedo sank the ship during the invasion of the Gilbert Islands. His body was lost at sea. His stamp is based on a 1942 photograph and depicts the crest of the destroyer escort USS Miller (DE-1091), commissioned in 1973. Actor Cuba Gooding Jr., portrayed Miller in the 2001 movie Pearl Harbor.
Postal Service Offers ‘Love Letters from Ella’
From USPS: On Jan. 25, 2010, the U.S. Postal Service released a special edition of Ella Fitzgerald’s classic album, Love Letters From Ella, for a limited time. This wonderful musical collection is being released to promote the use of mail during the Valentine’s season as well as Black History Month and will be available exclusively at a select group of 3,200 Post Offices across the United States.
Special Edition CD Features Classic Ella Fitzgerald Love Songs
WASHINGTON — Serenade that special someone in your life this Valentine’s Day with classic love songs featuring acclaimed music artist Ella Fitzgerald.
On sale for a limited time at select Post Offices nationwide, “Love Letters from Ella” is a collection of the jazz singer’s most cherished love songs, recorded with some of her favorite collaborators — including Count Basie and his orchestra, Joe Pass and André Previn.
This special edition, first released in 2007, also boasts a full reproduction of Fitzgerald’s commemorative postage stamp.
The 10-track CD, mixed in high-definition audio, includes Fitzgerald singing “Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone” with the Count Basie Orchestra, a duet of Joe Pass and Fitzgerald on “The One I Love” and her performance of “Our Love is Here to Stay” with pianist, conductor and composer André Previn.
“Love Letters From Ella” also features the celebrated singer accompanied by the London Symphony Orchestra on a rendition of “Cry Me a River.” The London Symphony Orchestra recorded the accompaniment, arranged by 24-time Grammy Award nominee Jorge Calandrelli, at Abbey Road studios in London.
The CD is available for $10.99 at a select group of 3,200 Post Offices across the nation and online at usps.com/shop.
For added convenience, “Love Letters from Ella” can be paired with a Valentine’s Day card and shipped in a Priority Mail Flat Rate Box or envelope to create the perfect gift for that special someone. The Priority Mail shipment will arrive in style in two to three delivery days, and shipping starts at just $4.90.
Complete Track Listing:
1. “Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone”
2. “Cry Me a River”
3. “You Turned the Tables on Me”
4. “I’ve Got the World on a String”
5. “Witchcraft”
6. “My Old Flame”
7. “The One I Love”
8. “Take Love Easy”
9. “Our Love is Here to Stay”
10. “Some Other Spring”
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US Postal Service Issues Olympic Winter Games Stamp
From the USPS:
PARK CITY, Utah — The U.S. Postal Service today commemorates the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games with the issuance of a stamp featuring an illustration of a snowboarder. The stamp goes on sale today in Park City, UT, and in Post Offices across the United States. The XXI Olympic Winter Games will be held Feb. 12-28, 2010, in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
First-day-of-issue ceremonies for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games Stamp immediately follow the Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix at Park City Mountain Resort, Park City, UT. Alan C. Kessler, member, Board of Governors of the U.S. Postal Service, and Dick Coe, Executive Vice President and chief operating officer, U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association, are the dedicating officials.
“We are proud to support the Olympics and are pleased to be able to continue the tradition of honoring the Games by issuing postage stamps celebrating different Olympic sports,” says Gov. Kessler.
Illustrator Steve McCracken captures the thrill of Olympic sports in his portrayal of an airborne snowboarder against the backdrop of a snow-capped mountain.
Stamps featuring Olympic themes have been popular since the first modern Olympiad in 1896, when Greece issued 12 Olympic-themed commemorative stamps. Beginning in 1932, when the Olympic Games were held in Los Angeles, CA, numerous U.S. stamps have honored the Games.
About the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games
This will be the second Olympic Winter Games, after the 1988 Games in Calgary, to be held in Canada, but the country’s historic ties to the event go back much further. Canada helped usher in the first Olympic Winter Games — at the Alpine resort of Chamonix, France, in 1924 — by joining with Central Europe to persuade the International Olympic Committee to add an “International Winter Sports Week” to the Games planned for that year.
For the Games in Vancouver, the Olympic torch relay is expected to be the longest to take place in a single country. Thousands of Canadians will participate in carrying the torch from Victoria, BC, through every province and territory of the country. After reaching St. John’s, NL, in the east, the torch will then make its journey back to British Columbia.
More than 80 countries will participate and some 5,000 athletes and officials will be involved in the XXI Olympic Winter Games. At least a million people are expected to travel to Vancouver, a beautiful city surrounded by water on three sides with a view of nearby mountains. The main venue for skiing will be the resort village of Whistler, north of Vancouver.
The number of sports designated for Olympic Winter Games has grown over the years. In addition to those included since 1924 — figure skating, ice hockey, cross-country skiing, bobsled, Nordic combined, ski jumping, and speed skating — athletes today compete in Alpine skiing, biathlon, luge, and curling, as well as in the newer disciplines of snowboarding, freestyle skiing, and short-track speed skating. After making their Olympic debut in Torino, Italy, in 2006, snowboardcross and the team pursuit speed skating will be officially added to the 2010 program, which will also include the debut of ski cross, a race down a technically challenging course resembling a motocross track.
First-Day-of-Issue Postmark
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. New stamps may be purchased at a local Post Office(TM), at The Postal Store® website at www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:
Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games Stamp
Main Post Office
2100 Park Avenue
Park City, UT 84068-9998
After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark. All orders must be postmarked by March 23, 2010.
First-Day Covers
Stamp Fulfillment Services also offers first day covers for new stamp issues and Postal Service stationery items postmarked with the official first-day-of-issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the quarterly USA Philatelic catalog. Customers may request a free catalog by calling 800-STAMP-24 or writing to:
Information Fulfillment
Dept. 6270
U.S. Postal Service
PO Box 219014
Kansas City, MO 64121-9014
Philatelic Products
Three philatelic products available for this stamp issue:
— 440061, First-Day Cover, 0.82.
— 440091, Ceremony Program, $6.95.
— 440093, First-Day Cover Keepsake, $9.95.