ASALH, the Association for the Study of African-American Life and History is hosting a Black History Month luncheon on Saturday, February 6, 2010 at the College of Charleston’s Avery Research Center, 126 Bull St. Charleston SC 29403. Otha Meadows, President of the Charleston Trident Urban League will be the keynote speaker. ASALH, the founders of Black History Month, was founded by Dr. Carter G. Woodson. Part of the event will be devoted to honoring a fascinating African-American, Doris “Dorie” Miller, a Pearl Harbor hero and the first African-American recipient of the Navy Cross. Miller is one of the four subjects of a recently-released sheet of U. S. postage stamps, “Distinguished Sailors”.
Local Navy personnel and Navy veterans will take part in the ceremony for Miller, who was killed in action. Ladson Postmaster, Beverly Milligan-Moore, will do the unveiling, sell sheets of the stamps and provide a commemorative pictorial postmark, tied to the Ladson Post Office. “This will be a great opportunity to honor Charleston’s Navy veterans and their traditions of service,” said Milligan-Moore. A specially-designed “cachet” envelope (see attachment) honoring Miller will be available for $5.
The U.S. Postal Service issued "Distinguished Sailors stamps" Feb. 4 at the Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C. to honor four Sailors who served with bravery and distinction during the 20th century. Each of the honorees, William S. Sims, Arleigh A. Burke, John McCloy, and Doris Miller had a ship named in his honor. Petty Officer Doris Miller has been given the title of "the first African American hero of World War II." Miller became an inspiration to generations of Americans for his actions at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.
Although he was only the first of a number of African Americans to be recognized for their heroism in World War II, Miller is singularly remembered for providing inspiration to a campaign for equal recognition and opportunity for blacks in the military, a campaign that bore fruit in 1948 when then-President Truman ordered "that there shall be equality and opportunity for all persons in the Armed Forces."
The Doris Miller stamp features a detail from a photograph of Miller (1942). Beside the photograph is a depiction of the crest of the destroyer escort USS Miller (DE-1091), which was commissioned in 1973. The role of Miller was played by Cuba Gooding, Jr. in the 2001 movie, Pearl Harbor.
The postmark is free, but must be applied to First-Class postage. Customers may request it at the Ladson Post Office on Saturday, February 6, 2010 and it will be available by mail until Saturday, March 6, 2010. Requests must include a self-stamped, self-addressed envelope and be postmarked by March 6, 2010. Send to: Dorie Miller Postmark, 3213 Ladson Rd. Ladson, SC 29456. The $5 cachet envelopes are available at the same address by mail also by check only, please make checks payable to “Postmaster”.
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