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U.S. Postal Service Celebrates Black History Month and the Milestones of the Civil Rights Movement

Posted on: Tuesday, 14 February 2006, 18:00 CST

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Postal Service celebrates Black History Month by reflecting on the progress, richness and diversity of African-American achievements. Although February has been designated as the official month to celebrate Black history, every day is an occasion to highlight the monumental significance of African-American contributions and the vital role they have played in shaping America's history.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060214/DCTU056 )

Black History Month provides an opportunity to raise awareness of our long-running Black Heritage Commemorative stamp series. This year's honoree is Hattie McDaniel, actress, singer, radio and television performer and the first African American to win an Academy Award. McDaniel joins 28 past honorees, such as Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Paul Robeson. Black History Month is also an opportunity to revisit the past history of African- Americans throughout the Civil Rights Movement. The To Form a More Perfect Union stamps trace the history of our nation's Civil Rights Movement through vivid illustrations of key events, people and decisions that changed the course of this nation.

To bring further awareness to the Civil Rights Movement, the U.S. Postal Service is offering a DVD on the Milestones of the Civil Rights Movement. This powerful and compelling journey through the tumultuous Civil Rights era of the 1950s and 1960s features archival film footage of events and the people who helped shape the movement. This video became available for $19.99 at selected Post Offices near you on Feb. 13, 2006, or you can shop on line at http://www.usps.com/shop.

To see the To Form a More Perfect Union stamps, Hattie McDaniel stamp and other images from the 2006 Commemorative Stamp Program, visit the Postal Store at http://www.usps.com/shop and click on "Release Schedule" in the Collector's Corner.

Current U.S. stamps, as well as a free comprehensive catalog, are available by toll-free phone order at 1-800-STAMP-24. A wide selection of stamps and other philatelic items is also available at the Postal Store at http://www.usps.com/shop. Beautifully framed prints of original stamp art for delivery straight to the home or office are available at http://www.postalartgallery.com/.

Since 1775, the Postal Service and its predecessor, the Post Office Department, has connected friends, families, neighbors and businesses by mail. It is an independent federal agency that visits 144 million homes and businesses every day, six days a week and is the only service provider delivering to every address in the nation. The Postal Service receives no taxpayer dollars for routine operations, but derives its operating revenues solely from the sale of postage, products and services. With annual revenues of more than $69 billion, it is the world's leading provider of mailing and delivery services, offering some of the most affordable postage rates in the world. The Postal Service delivers more than half of the world's mail volume - - some 212 billion letters, advertisements, periodicals and packages a year -- and serves seven and a half million customers each day at its 37,000 retail locations nationwide. Its website, usps.com, attracts more than 21 million visitors each month.

First Call Analyst: FCMN Contact:

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060214/DCTU056PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

U.S. Postal Service

CONTACT: Lauren Sposato of U.S. Postal Service, +1-202-268-8524,cell: +1-202-641-6034, lauren.r.sposato@usps.gov

Web site: http://www.usps.com/http://www.postalartgallery.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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