Speakers announced for U.S. airmail stamp’s dedication

By Molly Goad

The United States Postal Service has announced speakers for its May 1 first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony for the new U.S. Airmail forever stamp.

Air Force Deputy Director Bill Harris is on the lineup of speakers, as well as U.S. Postal Service’s Susan Brownell, vice president of supply management.

Two representatives from the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum are also set to speak. Elliot Gruber has been the director of the museum since September 2017, and came to the organization with more than 30 years’ experience in the nonprofit sector. Nancy Pope is the museum’s head curator and has been with the Smithsonian Institution since 1984. In 1993, she curated the opening exhibits for the National Postal Museum. In 2004, Pope curated a renovation to the Airmail in America permanent exhibit.

The stamp is a part of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of U.S. scheduled airmail service. The nondenominated (50¢) horizontal blue forever stamp shows a Curtiss JN-4H “Jenny” biplane similar to the first planes used by U.S. Army pilots to move the mail by air.

Connect with Linn’s Stamp News: 

    Sign up for our newsletter
    Like us on Facebook
    Follow us on Twitter

The second version of the stamp — same design, but in red — will be issued at a later date this summer. (For more information, see Postal Museum to host May 1 event for U.S. airmail anniversary stamp.)

The event will take place at 11 a.m. at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum, 2 Massachusetts Ave. N.E., Washington, D.C. The festivities are free and open to the public.

U.S. Postal Service Facebook followers can view the ceremony live at www.facebook.com/USPS.