On January 20th 1999, the U.S. Postal Service unveiled a postage stamp honoring Malcolm X. The thirty-three cent stamp was the 22nd in the Black Heritage Series and portrayed a black-and-white portrait, taken by an Associated Press photographer, of Malcolm X answering a question at a 1964 news conference in New York. It also contained the name he used at the end of his life, El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz. The Black Heritage series began in 1973, when the post office released a stamp honoring "Porgy and Bess." The 20-year-old Black Heritage stamp series commemorates the individual achievements of African Americans, with past honorees ranging from inventors to musicians.
I believe, before I could intelligently render my opinion on whether Malcolm …show more content…
As a general policy, U.S. postage stamps and stationery primarily will feature American or American-related subjects. Other subjects can be considered if they have had a significant impact on American history or culture. It should be noted that none of the restrictions listed in the criteria apply to Malcolm X.
Also before offering my opinion, I researched others that have been honored on an American stamp. I was not surprised to find an Elvis Presley stamp issued in 1993. The CSAC was certainly not honoring Presley as an overweight entertainer whose death was caused by an overdose of prescription drugs. They were honoring a one-time poor boy from Tupelo, MS who had 107 Top 40 hits and starred in 33 movies before his death in 1977. This is the same for many music icons including, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix who were all honored in a Music Icon Series of stamps.
I even found some nonsense characters like that of Homer Simpson, whose stamp came out in 2009. Even Congressman Mike Honda joined the critics when he stated, “I question the direction USPS is headed when it pays homage to Homer Simpson over the sacrifice of our venerable Nisei veterans.”
I therefore am approaching this assignment objectively, considering not only Malcolm X’s entire life but the process of selection for USPS Stamps and prior
I believe, before I could intelligently render my opinion on whether Malcolm …show more content…
As a general policy, U.S. postage stamps and stationery primarily will feature American or American-related subjects. Other subjects can be considered if they have had a significant impact on American history or culture. It should be noted that none of the restrictions listed in the criteria apply to Malcolm X.
Also before offering my opinion, I researched others that have been honored on an American stamp. I was not surprised to find an Elvis Presley stamp issued in 1993. The CSAC was certainly not honoring Presley as an overweight entertainer whose death was caused by an overdose of prescription drugs. They were honoring a one-time poor boy from Tupelo, MS who had 107 Top 40 hits and starred in 33 movies before his death in 1977. This is the same for many music icons including, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix who were all honored in a Music Icon Series of stamps.
I even found some nonsense characters like that of Homer Simpson, whose stamp came out in 2009. Even Congressman Mike Honda joined the critics when he stated, “I question the direction USPS is headed when it pays homage to Homer Simpson over the sacrifice of our venerable Nisei veterans.”
I therefore am approaching this assignment objectively, considering not only Malcolm X’s entire life but the process of selection for USPS Stamps and prior