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National Postal Museum Announces New Exhibition Opening
Exhibition Devoted Entirely to African American History
“Freedom Just Around the Corner: Black America from Civil War to
Civil Rights,” opening Feb. 12 at the Smithsonian’s National
Postal Museum, is the museum’s first exhibition devoted
entirely to African-American history. Marking 150 years
since the end of the Civil War and the abolition of slavery
throughout the United States, the exhibition chronicles the
African-American experience through the perspective of
stamps and mail.
The exhibition includes letters carried by enslaved Americans, mail
sent by and to leaders of the civil rights movement and
original artwork for numerous stamps issued by the United
States Postal Service. More than 100 items from the museum’s
collection are on display, augmented by outstanding pieces
on loan from other institutions and private collections.
“The exhibition is powerful and presents a distinctive perspective
to the history that unfolded during this important period of
time,” said Allen Kane, director of the museum. “Our hope is
that visitors will learn more about this historic period,
connect emotionally to the stories and objects we are
presenting and continue to have meaningful conversations
beyond the museum visit.”
Before the introduction of home mail delivery, slaves often carried
letters to and from the post office. Slave-carried mail was
usually identified by a notation—called an endorsement—that
also served as a travel pass. These mail messengers could be
an important source of news if they overheard discussions
during their travels. Slaves sometimes carried letters
directly to the recipient, bypassing the postal system
entirely. This was often the case when the letter was
accompanied by a parcel, since post offices did not handle
domestic package mail until 1913.
The exhibition, in part, presents examples of slave-carried mail,
including one carried by a slave named Susan, dated April
17, 1850, with the message, “I send to you my negro girl
Susan aged 16 all rite and a first rate girl big limbs and
muscles please sell her and remit...”
Susan was probably unaware that the letter she carried to the
Eastville, Va., post office contained arrangements for her
to be sold to a slave dealer in Richmond.
Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech was commemorated in
the Postal Service’s Celebrate the Century stamp series
issued at the end of the 20th century. Original artwork for
the stamp, by Keith Birdsong, reflects a trace of brightness
on the horizon to represent hope, while King wears the
March’s official badge, in one of many stunning paintings on
display from the Postal Service’s Black Heritage stamp
series. Most of the artwork is exhibited for the very first
time.
“‘Freedom’ provides a unique take on African American history,
exploring the subject through stamps and mail,” said Daniel
Piazza, exhibit curator. “We hope this approach inspires new
audiences to visit the National Postal Museum and William H.
Gross Stamp Gallery.”
Selected pieces in the exhibition will include interpretation
presented through audio recordings of curators, conservators
and guest speakers, adding significance to individual
objects. A special
website and catalog will
augment the exhibition as well, providing additional access
to the rich content presented.
The National Postal Museum is devoted to presenting the colorful
and engaging history of the nation’s mail service and
showcasing one of the largest and most comprehensive
collections of stamps and philatelic material in the world.
It is located at 2 Massachusetts Avenue N.E., Washington,
D.C., across from Union Station. The museum is open daily
from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed Dec. 25). For more
information about the Smithsonian, call (202) 633-1000 or
visit the museum website at
www.postalmuseum.si.edu.
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