Why the stamps were issued: To commemorate the Underground Railroad and those who helped slaves escape the South.
About the stamp designs: The stamps feature sepia-toned portraits of individuals who escaped slavery or aided others in doing so. Each stamp includes eight lines of text: BLACK/WHITE; COOPERATION; TRUST/DANGER; FLIGHT/FAITH; COURAGE/RISK; DEFIANCE/HOPE; UNDERGROUND; RAILROAD/USA. The reverse side of the pane of 20 includes a map showing routes of the Underground Railroad and biographical information about the individuals pictured. Designed by Antonio Alcal?? using existing images.
First Day City: The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center in Church Creek, Maryland.
History the stamps represent: The Underground Railroad was a secret network that helped Black Americans escape slavery before and during the Civil War. Its name, according to John Rankin, came from how fugitives seemed to disappear as if ??they had gone into the ground.??
Those involved in the Underground Railroad played crucial roles. ??Conductors?? led escaped slaves to safe houses, called ??stations,?? often hosted by free Black Americans or White abolitionists??many of whom, especially Quakers, risked everything. They used their own money to provide food, clothing, and sometimes medicine. Churches and other groups also contributed supplies.
Due to the secretive nature of their work, the Underground Railroad had no maps or printed guidelines. Communication was done through word of mouth and trusted individuals. Codes were also used to safely relay information.
In 2024, the US Postal Service issued these stamps to honor those who operated the Underground Railroad. For Black Americans fighting to escape the inhumanity of slavery, these individuals were real-life heroes.
