What:

Join the National Park Service, in collaboration with United States Postal Service and the Ebony Society of Philatelic Events and Reflections (ESPER) at the African Burial Ground National Monument for a special dedication of the Maya Angelou Forever Stamp.

The free public event includes a host of guest speakers who will celebrate the life of Maya Angelou – national and international icon and treasure – for her inspirational attributes.

Celebration will conclude with the sale of stamps and the autographing of the celebratory program. Ranger-led tours of the African Burial Ground will also be available.

Please be advised that visitors entering 290 Broadway are subject to airport-style security. This may include the removal of shoes and presenting of photo identification. Please plan accordingly.

Who:

• Lorraine G. Castellano, District Manager, United States Postal Service, New York District
• Kobla Mensa Dente, Instrumental arrangement
• Don Neal, Editor, ESPER’s Reflections
• Shirley McKinney, Superintendent, Six NYC Historical Sites
• Jane Tillman Irving, WCBS-AM/Newsradio 880
• Marsha Thompson, Soprano - Singing Performance
• Pastor Jacqueline McMickens, Kenilworth Baptist Church, Brooklyn
• Maya Williams, Spoken Word Artist
• Susan L. Taylor, Founder & CEO, National CARES Mentoring Movement and Editor-in-Chief Emeritus, Essence Magazine
• Christopher Moore, Commissioner (Retired), NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission
• Steven Fullwood, Archivist, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
• Rev. C. Imani Parker, Educator, Actress
• Dr. Juanita Howard, Actress, Singer, Educator
• Rev. Dr. Johnny Ray Youngblood, Executive Pastor, Spiritual Engineer
• Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church, Brooklyn

Where:

Ted Weiss Federal Building lobby (Location of the National African Burial Grounds Monument)
290 Broadway
New York, NY 10007

When:

Thursday, August 20, 2015 at 11:00am

MEDIA

Media with questions or requesting pre-event interviews may contact Connie Chirichello at 631-524-9735.

Background:

Remarks, in part, during the special unveiling ceremony presented by Lorraine Castellano, District Manager, U.S. Postal Service for the New York District: “Maya Angelou was an author who broke down the barriers of literary form. Throughout her many written works, she explored themes of identity, race and displacement — and did so in a distinct style that stretched over time and place. Her stories embodied the pain of her personal struggle — but more than anything else, they epitomized the triumph of courage and the human spirit. She committed her life to ideas that elevated our sense of what it means to be human, and to advance understanding, compassion, and reconciliation.”

The stamp showcases Rossin’s 2013 4 feet by 4 feet oil-on-canvas portrait of Angelou. The large hyper-realistic painting is part of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery’s collection, where it will be on display through Nov.1, 2015.

The stamp pane includes a short excerpt from Angelou’s book, “Letter to My Daughter.” It reads: “Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.” Art director Ethel Kessler of Bethesda, MD, designed the stamp.

More than 80 million Maya Angelou Forever stamps were produced. Stamps are available at usps.com/stamps, the Postal Store, at 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724) and at Post Offices nationwide or visit ebay.com/stamps to shop for a wide variety of postage stamps and collectibles.