Chicago Post Office Unveils Abraham Lincoln Stamps

Set of 4 stamps presented at Chicago History Museum

What:	Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commemorative Stamp Unveiling during the Chicago History Museum’s Happy Birthday Abe! Celebration
Who:	Todd Hawkins, Senior Plant Manager, U.S. Postal Service Gary T. Johnson, President, Chicago History Museum “Abraham Lincoln”
When:	Thursday, February 12 –12:00 p.m.
Where:	Chicago History Museum 1601 N. Clark St.
Background:	The U.S. Postal Service commemorates the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), who rose from humble, frontier origins to become a prominent lawyer and politician and ultimately President of the United States, with a set of four commemorative stamps. The stamp art was created by Mark Summers under the direction of art director Richard Sheaff. Summers is noted for his scratchboard technique, a style distinguished by a dense network of lines etched with exquisite precision. Each stamp features a different aspect of Lincoln’s life: as a youth splitting a log for a rail fence on what was then the American frontier; as a practicing attorney in an Illinois courtroom; as a politician debating Stephen A. Douglas during their 1858 U.S. Senate campaign; and as President conferring with generals Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman toward the end of the Civil War. The four First-Class commemorative 42-cent stamps will be available beginning February 9 at Post Offices across the nation and at www.usps.com. Chicago District Senior Plant Manager Todd Hawkins will formally dedicate the stamps at the Chicago History Museum’s birthday celebration for Abraham Lincoln. The Museum is celebrating the 16th President of the United States with exhibitions and programming throughout the year. More information on the birthday event and activities around the Lincoln Bicentennial can be found at www.chicagohistory.org.
Contact:	Mark Reynolds (312) 983-8371, cell (312) 351-5868 mark.v.reynolds@usps.gov

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