What:

The U.S. Postal Service celebrates the 2017 Black History Month observance with the issuance of the Dorothy Height Forever stamp, 40th stamp in the Black Heritage series.

Who:

Ronald A. Stroman, deputy postmaster general and chief government relations officer, United States Postal Service
Congressman John Lewis
Alexis Herman, president, Dorothy I. Height Education Foundation
Ingrid Saunders Jones, chair, National Council of Negro Women
Naima Randolph, Dorothy Height’s great niece
Derry Noyes, art director
Bishop Vashti McKenzie, bishop of the African American Episcopal Church

When:

Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017, 11:00 a.m. ET (Doors open at 10:00 a.m. ET)

Where:

Howard University
Cramton Auditorium
2455 Sixth Street
Washington, DC 20059

(NOTE: This ceremony is free and open to the public. Space is limited and admission is not guaranteed. To obtain a free ticket, visit the Cramton Auditorium Box Office. Box Office hours: Monday-Friday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)

Background:

The 40th stamp in the Black Heritage series honors Dorothy Height (1912–2010), the tireless activist who dedicated her life to fighting for racial and gender equality. Although she rarely gained the recognition granted her male contemporaries, she became one of the most influential civil rights leaders of the 20th century. The stamp features artist Thomas Blackshear II’s gouache and acrylics on board portrait of Height. The painting is based on a photograph shot in 2009 by Lateef Mangum. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp.