Many important figures in American history have been remembered on commemorative stamps. Why has there never been a postal tribute honoring Thaddeus Stevens? Thaddeus who . . . ? Maybe that's why. Stevens is the one we should thank for leading the drafting, passage, and ratification of measures marking our nation's Second Founding:

• The 13th Amendment - ending slavery in America

• The 14th Amendment - guaranteeing  civil rights and equal rights to all

• The 15th Amendment - the first national assurance of broader voting rights

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     Stamps tell stories. They teach important lessons. They express America's profound thanks by honoring a (sometimes forgotten) person long after they're gone. Stamps help ensure the proper recognition of important accomplishments. Carefully crafted, their images tell a story with such clarity in a square inch that it instantly inspires learning. So who (besides us) favors honoring Stevens on a stamp? Well, there's Bob Dylan in his autobiography, Chronicles; Senators Bernie Sanders, Patrick Leahy, Bob Casey and Pat Toomey in letters to the Postmaster General; other Congressional leaders that Stevens Society members have been lobbying; plus authors, historians, legal scholars, attorneys, judges, rights activists . . . and all those we ask to please join us as advocates for "The Great Commoner."

 

     The Postal Service isn't going to print stamps that nobody wants. They need to be convinced that a Thaddeus Stevens stamp will sell; that thousands of us will buy them, use them and save them. Explaining that is the job of all of us who actively support the effort to get a stamp approved. It's not money that will fund our success . . . it's more letters, postcards and petition pages -- sacks of supportive mail to the U. S. Postal Service.

 

     What can you do? Write to the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC). Tell them why you admire Thaddeus Stevens. Explain the things he did in his lifetime that still affect our lives today. Tell why you think it's so important that others know this; then mention ways you're prepared to help promote the stamp. To learn more, visit the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee website.

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     Make them a promise that you'll use these stamps . . . in quantities and in creative ways . . . both at work and in your personal correspondence. We send an additional message each time we use commemorative postage. With a Stevens stamp you'll be illustrating a life that truly deserves to be remembered.

 

     It's also important for us to show that interest in Stevens continues to grow. Not just in Vermont and Pennsylvania where support is already strong, but throughout the country. Please ask your friends in other locales to write a sincere message to CSAC members. "The Great Commoner" -- Thaddeus Stevens -- was a guiding spirit in his own time and remains so today. . . still influencing the course of American history in the 21st Century.

 

     Write to those at the Postal Service who decide what subjects appear on America's stamps:

 

      Thaddeus Stevens Stamp

      Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee

      c/o Stamp Development

      United States Postal Service

      475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Room 3300

      Washington, DC  20260-3501

 

     You can watch this half-hour PBS documentary, "American Stamps" that explains the process of stamp development.

 

      Contact Don Gallagher if you'd like to help with the stamp campaign, or if you just want to know what more could be done. He can ship you (for free) as many 'A Stamp For Stevens' postcards as you can use.  They're pre-addressed and informative, too.  Thank you for aiding these efforts in any way you can!

 

      Don Gallagher

      38 Green Acre Road

      Lititz, PA 17543-8770

      ph. 717-626-3038 (home)     email:  stevens.stamp@gmail.com