ZOOM PROGRAM AVAILABLE
"Pushing the Envelope - A History of the Post Office Through Stamps" is available for Zoom presentations to libraries, senior centers, stamp clubs and other organizations.
Zoom programs are presented thanks to the support of NobleSpirit, the 2021 official event sponsor for the Museum.
Description: By viewing images of vintage US postage stamps learn about the history of the US Post Office from the first letters carried on the Boston Post Road to the current postal controversies.
Hear about the work of Benjamin Franklin, the expansion of the Post Office after the Revolution, the introduction of home delivery, the short-lived Pony Express, the carrying of mail by railroads, buses, boats and trollies, the initiation of rural free delivery, the first commemorative stamps, the start of Parcel Post, the introduction of zip codes, postal strikes, the first Forever and personalized stamps and the impact of email on the PO’s financial situation. See images of the many creative ways mail has been carried including rockets, dog sleds, camels and mules used in the Grand Canyon.
COMMENT FROM A VIEWER
"Thank you so much for your presentation last night! I am getting some very nice comments from our residents on the content and your wealth of knowledge.
The amount of history that one can learn from the evolution of stamps is truly amazing."
Click Zoom for more details.
If you would like a link for how to register to watch one of these programs, email to Zoom.
Programs are currently scheduled for
January 14 at 7:00 for the Tewksbury Library, January 19 at 11:00 and February 2 and 4.
TAKE A VIRTUAL TOUR
Have you taken our virtual tours of the Museum's main gallery and the exhibit on the celebration of the 19th amendment?
Click on our website to reach the YouTube links: tour
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A PHILATELIC SALUTE TO DR. KING |
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The 2021 Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the 37th annual celebration of this federal holiday honoring the civil rights leader and reverend. He has appeared on more than 100 stamps worldwide.
King (January 15, 1929–April 4, 1968) was a prime force in the U.S. civil rights movement and was awarded the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize; posthumously, the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1977) and Congressional Gold Medal (2004).
Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the United States was established in 1983 and first observed in 1986.
King has been honored on two U.S. stamps and his image is used as the central focal point on a 10-stamp pane dedicated to the Civil Rights Movement.
King was first honored on a U.S. stamp as the second subject of the then-new USPS Black Heritage series. His stamp, a year after the Harriet Tubman commemorative, was issued January 13, 1979.
King and his “I Have a Dream Speech” are honored on the Celebrate the Century 1960s pane, issued September 17, 1999 (shown at top of this newsletter).
An artistic "stamp-like" portrait of King is in the center selvage of the 10-stamp To Form a More Perfect Union U.S. issue of 2005. King does not appear on any of the stamps, but he was linked to all of the events depicted, which include the 1955 Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott, the 1963 March on Washington and the Selma March of 1965.
Nations around the world began issuing stamps honoring King not long after he was assassinated in 1968.
STAMP DISPLAY: Archie, our stamp colllecting alligator, has posted his collection of Dr. King stamps from around the world. Click on our webpage to view the collection: Dr. King. If you have an image of a stamp that is not in Archie's collection, send us an image.
FREE OFFER: If you would like some stamps and first day covers celebrating Black History month, email your mailing address to history.
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SOME POSTAL RATES GOING UP
On January 24, the Post Office will be raising the rates to mail certain types of material. The first class stamp will still only cost fifty-five cents but the extra ounce will go to twenty-cents. The postcard rate will also increase by one cent to thirty-six cents. The stamp image to the left is one of the new postcard rate stamps. it is part of a series of four stamps featuring barns in the United States.
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ZIP codes have been in use since 1963. ZIP stands for Zone Improvement Plan. When they were first introduced, the Postal Service used many ways to educate the public about how to use them even producing TV comercials with popular personalities such as broadway star Ethan Merman. For those of you who remember the Sunday night Ed Sullivan show, take a look at this link: puleo. It is a one minute clip featuring Johnny Puleo of the Harmonicats, a popular group that often appeared on that tv show. The Post Office also used other advertising methods including posters featuring Dick Tracy, a ZIP code board game, a ZIP code coffee mug and even a ZIP code comic book.
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ZIP CODE TRIVIA QUESTION
Can you tell us the philatleic connection between the efforts to publicize the the need to use ZIP codes on all letters and this 1964 Sam Houston commemorative? Send your answer to trivia. If you would like to know the answer, email to the same link. A correct answer will get you some first day covers of state flags on stamps.
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Almost every week the Museum receives donations of family collections, usually those from a grandparent or other relative. Many of these collections had been kept in the sturdy cigar boxes of the day and were used by many collectors for storage, both young and old.
While these boxes are not as popular these days, we thought this picture might bring back some collecting memories to some of you.
If you have a collection, whether in boxes or not, and are considering making it a donation, email the museum for more details about the donating: donations
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CAN YOU GIVE US A HAND?
As we look forward to safely reopening the Museum, we have continued sharing our educational programs electronically and creating exhibits to be shared with all of our enthusiasts – ages 6-60 and 9-90! We thank all those who have already recently supported us.
We ask others of you if you can also please support our efforts by going to the bottom on our webpage (click webpage) and clicking on the donate button. A $50 contributionwill give you a one year individual membership.
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YOUTH CLUB MEMBERSHIP OPEN
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The Museum is offering a free, one year membership for children ages 6 to 16 in our Youth Club. Children receive a monthly packet of topical stamps, worksheets and philatelic information, a discount in the Museum store, a monthly stamp calendar plus free admission for themselves and the family. For more information email to Club.
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FREE EDUCATIONAL CALENDAR
If you would like to receive our monthly calendar/almanac that features stamps which celebrate historic events of each weekday of the month, email to calendar.
January 17, 1706 - Birthday of Benjamin Franklin, our first Postmaster General and was born in Boston.
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