Civil Rights Pioneers Honored on Stamps

2nd Day Unveiling of Stamps Held in Fort Worth

Fort Worth, TX — In partnership with the National Cowboys of Color Museum and Fort Worth NAACP, the U.S. Postal Service is hosting a stamp unveiling ceremony to honor the courage, commitment, and achievements of 12 African-American civil rights pioneers. These individuals are being recognized in conjunction with the 100th anniversary celebration of the NAACP. The event is at 6 PM (5:30 PM Reception) on Thursday, February 26, 2009 at the National Cowboys of Color Museum, 3400 Mt. Vernon Avenue, Fort Worth, TX 76103.

The sacrifices of 12 civil rights pioneers were immortalized Saturday, February 21, on postage during the NAACP’s annual meeting in New York City. The Civil Rights Pioneers stamp sheet, bearing six 42-cent First-Class commemorative stamps, are now available nationwide. They were dedicated by U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors member Thurgood Marshall Jr. The stamps honor the achievements of Ella Baker, Daisy Gatson Bates, J.R. Clifford, Medgar Evers, Fannie Lou Hamer, Charles Hamilton Houston, Ruby Hurley, Mary White Ovington, Joel Elias Spingarn, Mary Church Terrell, Oswald Garrison Villard and Walter White.

Marshall was joined in dedicating the stamps by Medgar Evers’ widow and NAACP Chairman Emerita, Myrlie Evers-Williams, NAACP Board of Directors Chairman Julian Bond and Professor, Alphonse Fletcher University and Director, Du Bois Institute, Harvard University, Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr., who is also a member of the Postmaster General’s Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee.

The event is free and open to the public.

# # #

Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at www.usps.com/news.

An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 149 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes, six days a week. It has 34,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services, not tax dollars, to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.

An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that visits every address in the nation, 146 million homes and businesses, six days a week. It has 37,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products, and services to pay for operating expenses, not tax dollars. The Postal Service has annual revenues of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.