Indiana news

Mar. 18, 2024

Catharine Coffin Honored On New Forever Stamp

Stamp sheet features 10 Underground Railroad heroes

Underground Railroad Stamps

What:

The Levi and Catharine Coffin State Historic Site, in conjunction with the United States Postal Service, will unveil a new Forever stamp featuring Catharine Coffin. It is part of a series of stamps depicting 10 courageous men and women who helped guide enslaved people to freedom via the Underground Railroad, a network of secret routes and safehouses in use before and during the Civil War.

Who:

Richmond, IN Postmaster Mark Thornburg
Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites President and CEO Cathy Ferree
Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites Central Region Director Joanna Hahn

When:

Thursday, Mar. 21, 2024
5:30 p.m.

Where:

Levi and Catharine Coffin State Historic Site Interpretive Center
201 U.S. 27 North
Fountain City IN

Background:

The pane of 20 stamps depicts 10 key figures of the Underground Railroad. The First Day of Issue dedication ceremony was held on Mar. 9, 2024, at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center in Church Creek.

Antonio Alcalá, art director for USPS. designed the stamps using existing photographs.

On the pane’s verso is a map showing the general routes freedom seekers followed, along with text from the National Park Service that describes the Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.

The Underground Railroad Forever stamps come in panes of 20. Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

News about the stamps is being shared with the hashtag #UndergroundRailroadStamps.

Media are asked to RSVP by 5 p.m. Mar. 20 to cknapp@indianamuseum.org

###

The United States Postal Service is an independent federal establishment, mandated to be self-financing and to serve every American community through the affordable, reliable and secure delivery of mail and packages to 167 million addresses six and often seven days a week. Overseen by a bipartisan Board of Governors, the Postal Service is implementing a 10-year transformation plan, Delivering for America, to modernize the postal network, restore long-term financial sustainability, dramatically improve service across all mail and shipping categories, and maintain the organization as one of America’s most valued and trusted brands.

The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

For USPS media resources, including broadcast-quality video and audio and photo stills, visit the USPS Newsroom. Follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter; Instagram; Pinterest; Threads and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the USPS YouTube Channel and like us on Facebook. For more information about the Postal Service, visit usps.com and facts.usps.com.

MEDIA ADVISORY

Media contacts