Hiram Revels Becomes the First African American Elected to US Senate

Senator Hiram Revels may appear on a stamp some day. Here a brief summary of his life and a link to the full article. 

Revels was elected by a vote of 81 to 15 in the Mississippi State Senate to finish the term of one of the state’s two seats in the US Senate left vacant since the Civil War. The seat had once been held by Albert G. Brown, who withdrew from the US Senate in 1861.

The election of Revels was met with opposition from Southern conservative Democrats who cited the Dred Scott Decision which was considered by many to have been a central cause of the American Civil War. They argued that no black man was a citizen before the 14th Amendment was ratified in 1868. Because election to the Senate required nine years’ prior citizenship, opponents of Revels claimed he could not be seated, having been a citizen by law for only two years. Supporters of Revels countered by stating that the Dred Scott decision applied only to those blacks who were of pure African blood. Revels was of mixed black and white ancestry, and therefore exempt, they said, and had been a citizen all his life. This argument prevailed, and on February 25, 1870, Revels, by a vote of 48 to 8, became the first black man to be seated in the United States Senate.

Source: https://worldhistoryproject.org/1870/2/25/hiram-revels-becomes-the-first-african-american-elected-to-us-senate

Marvin Gaye Stamp Unveiling Ceremony

We had an opportunity to attend the Marvin Gaye stamp ceremony at the Greek Theatre, Tuesday, April 2 in Los Angeles. There were about 3000 attendees. It seemed that many were music lovers versus stamp collectors but needless to say the USPS was very busy and did a great job accommodating the crowd.

Marvin Gaye

March 2019 Activities

March 9 – Youth Symposium with the Ladies of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. – Pop-Up Exhibit – Illinois

March 15 – Visiting Every Child’s Hope – Pop-up Exhibit – Missouri

March 30 – Celebrating African American Women on Stamps with the Ladies of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. – Illinois

Marian Anderson: A Voice of a Lifetime

Calvin Mitchell wrote an excellent tribute to Marian Anderson. He states, “Marian Anderson—one of the greatest concert and classical singers of the twentieth century—was honored on a stamp issued by the United States Postal Service on January 27, 2005. She was the first female singer and the eighth woman to be honored in the Black Heritage Stamp Series issued annually by the U.S. Postal Service since 1978. During the first day ceremony for the stamp, Deputy Postmaster General John M. Nolan proclaimed the stamp “a powerful reminder of her unprecedented contribution to music and to her great sacrifice for justice.” To read more visit Marian Anderson

Source: Smithsonian National Postal Museum

Black History Month Facts

1963 – More than 200,000 people march on Washington, D. C., in the largest civil-rights demonstration in U. S. history; Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gives his “I Have a Dream” speech.

1963 – Four young Black girls are killed in the bombing of a Birmingham, AL church.

1964 – President Johnson signs Civil Rights Act of 1964, giving government more power to protect citizens against race religion, sex or national-origin discrimination.

1965 – Malcolm X, former minister in Nation of Islam and civil-rights activist, assassinated.

1965 – Thousands participate in three protest marches from Selma to Montgomery, AL for Black voting rights.

1965 – President Johnson signs Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Source: DiversityInc.

Black History Month Facts

1955 – Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat on a bus to a white man in Montgomery, AL leading to the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

1957 – Little Rock Nine integrate Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas.

1960 – Four Black student stage famous sit-in at a whites-only Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro, NC.

1961 – Freedom rides begin from Washington, DC.

1962 – James Meredith becomes first Black student to enroll at the University of Mississippi.  Violence prompts President Kennedy to send in 5,000 federal troops.

Image result for little rock nine stamp

Source: DiversityInc

Heritage Highlights – Week of January 20

Week of January 20

1/20/1992 – President Bush declares M. L. King, Jr. birthday national holiday.

1/21/1824 – Osai Tutu Kwamina defeated British at Assamaka, Ashanti.

1/22/1793 – Benjamin Banneker helped plan Washington, DC.

1/23/1977 – First ABC-TV showing of “Roots”.

1/24/1991 – Aids recognized as major health threat to African Americans

1/25/1966 – Constance B. Motley appointed federal judge, first woman.

1/26/1961 – Carl T. Rowan, journalist, given White House job.

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