The United States Postal Service has announced a diverse collection of stamps that will be released in 2024. This collection covers a wide range of themes, including the Lunar New Year, Christmas, the U.S. flag, Black heritage, space exploration, the Underground Railroad, the First Continental Congress, and more. The stamps feature original artwork and photography, including infrared images taken by the James Webb Space Telescope. The Postal Service aims to provide a diverse selection of stamps for collectors and individuals looking to send a special message. The full list of stamps will be revealed in the upcoming weeks.
In addition to the diverse stamp collection, the United States Mint is launching the American Women Quarters program, which will feature the portraits of 20 women from diverse backgrounds on U.S. quarters. The program aims to correct a history of exclusion and expand how U.S. history is taught. It was created by legislation introduced by Rep. Barbara Lee and passed in 2020. The Mint worked with the National Women's History Museum and the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum to choose the women to be featured, with a focus on diversity [21259c79].
The American Women Quarters program is an effort to enhance women's history education across the country. To celebrate the launch of the program, Sally Ride Elementary School in Maryland learned about Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, and designed their own quarters. However, the program faces challenges due to efforts in some states to ban teaching LGBTQ+ stories. Despite these challenges, the program aims to highlight the contributions of women and provide representation on U.S. currency [21259c79].
The United States Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) has named Patty Collins as its first female director. Collins, a combat veteran and former deputy director of the US Government Publishing Office, was appointed by the Secretary of the Treasury, Janet Yellen, on March 25. The BEP, which is responsible for printing American currency, maintaining the circulation of physical money in the US, preventing forgeries, and redesigning coins and cash, is now under the leadership of its 27th director. Collins' appointment marks a significant milestone for the bureau and highlights the Treasury Department's commitment to diversity and inclusion [d7ada81f].
Royal Mail has launched a new set of eight stamps to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Red Arrows aerobatic team. The stamps feature images of the team's red, white, and blue trails in the sky, as well as performances above landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and Niagara Falls. The Red Arrows, officially established in 1964, have become a showpiece of the Royal Air Force and continue to demonstrate their teamwork and excellence around the world. The stamps and related collectible products are now available for purchase [29f70320].
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