It’s hard to believe today, but once upon a time, the people running the U.S. Post Office invested in facilities that were supposed to speed up mail deliveries. Moreover, they celebrated those efforts, most notably in today’s 4-cent #stampoftheday, which commemorated the opening of America’s first automated post office in Providence, Rhode Island on October […]
Once Upon a Time, the Post Office Tried to Speed Up the Mail Read More »
Somewhat amazingly, today’s stamp celebrates one of the most shameful episodes in American history. The 3-cent stamp issued on October 15, 1948 says “Indian Centennial” followed by a list of five tribes—Chickasaw, Choctaw, Cherokee, Creek, and Seminole – and then at the bottom, the statement “The Five Civilized Tribes of Oklahoma.” So apparently, this is
Ignoring the Trail of Tears Read More »
When the young “future farmer” portrayed on today’s #stampoftheday gazed over the bucolic farm and valley shown on the stamp do you think he was thinking that many decades later the owners of those fields would receive record amounts of politically motivated federal aid? That’s the question that comes to mind when I examine today’s
Future Recipients of A Federal Largesse Read More »
Before email and smart phones, I would always send my mother a postcard whenever I travelled abroad. I’m reminded of that habit by today’s #stampoftheday, which was issued on October 9, 1952 by the United Nations to honor the in honor the Universal Postal Union (UPU) on the 78th anniversary of the treaty that created
We All Belonged to the Universal Postal Union Read More »
These days, when the worst of America has been so prominent, I’m happy that today’s #stampoftheday celebrates some of the best of America. Specifically, the 3-cent stamp, which was issued on October 4, 1948, celebrates volunteer fire fighters. The stamp, of course, is especially timely because of the many men and women who are putting
Volunteer Firemen Show America at its Best Read More »
Time present and time past Are both perhaps present in time future, And time future contained in time past. I open today’s #stampoftheday post with these famous lines that start T.S. Eliot’s “Four Quartets” because Eliot was (somewhat amazingly) honored on a 22-cent U.S. postage stamp issued on September 26, 1988, 100 years after he
Let Us Go Then, You and I Read More »
Why do we hold onto and cherish artifacts from the past, particularly artifacts connected to our ancestors? That’s the question raised by today’s #stampoftheday, a 3-cent stamp, issued on September 25, 1939 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the Stephen Daye Press – the first printing press used in Colonial America. In addition to being
Hoarding and Artifacts Read More »
Sometimes I don’t know what to write about the current #stampoftheday; sometimes I know what to write about but not what to say. Today is one of those days. The topic is obvious because the 4-cent stamp, which was issued on September 22, 1958, celebrates “Freedom of the Press” – an ideal that is again
The Neverending Fight for a Free Press Read More »
The death of loved ones is always painful and, it seems to me, the death of your child is particularly painful because, as my father said to me after my brother died, it seems to violate the natural order of things. The power of such a loss is driven home by today’s #stampoftheday, which honors
Keeping the Faith in the Darkest of Times Read More »
Unable to find a stamp that was issued today or one that honored someone who was born or died today, I went rummaging in the detritus of my late father’s collection and turned up a wonderful gem: a leather postcard from Mohonk Lake, NY mailed on September 20,1907. On its own, the postcard – with
Fond Memories of Mohonk Mountain House Read More »