Ebony Society of Philatelic Events & Reflections (AF0239)
The Ebony Society of Philatelic Events and Reflections (ESPER) was established in 1988, in part as a promise made by the founder Esper G. Hayes to Olympian Jesse Owens that she would try to get more African Americans interested and involved in philately. Since that time, ESPER has been a pioneer in the effort to diversify the hobby. The society has participated in several national stamp shows, and society members have contributed to those shows as judges, presenters, exhibitors, cachet makers, and dealers. ESPER’s award-winning newsletter, Reflections, and comprehensive website (www.esperstamps.org) are unique among philatelic media with their topical reporting, valuable information, and colorful images. The society has nearly 300 diverse members throughout the United States and several foreign countries. To help connect all the members, ESPER employs an available buddy system and has published a handbook for new members, distributed for the first time in 2009.
ESPER celebrated its 20th anniversary in October 2008 with a day-long exposition produced entirely by members that featured a bourse (including the USPS); exhibit frames and displays; and seminars on: getting youth started in the hobby, computers and philately, and “African-American Women on United States Stamps.” The anniversary was commemorated with a special cover and cancellation, and culminated with an awards and recognition dinner with honored USPS guests from New York and Washington, DC units. Robert Lamb, former Executive Director of the American Philatelic Society, was the keynote speaker.
ESPER continues its outreach to the general community with philatelic presentations, exhibits, and services to young and old alike. ESPER has partnered with other philatelic organizations on diversity initiatives, and individual members have created educational material that can be used as school curriculum supplements to meet diversity guidelines. ESPER strives to be the premier source for philatelic information on people and events of the African diaspora.
Objective: To promote and foster an interest in the collection and study of United States and foreign philatelic material that comemmorates people and events of the African diaspora.
Annual Dues: $25 for individual, $40 family, $20 youth, and $35 foreign.
Benefits: quarterly journal, Reflections, local chapters, website, buddy system, event cachets.
Website: esperstamps.org.
Contact Person: Manuel Gilyard, 800 Riverside Drive, #4H, New York, NY 10032-7412
Gay & Lesbian History on Stamps Club (AF0205)
The Gay & Lesbian History on Stamps Club (GLHSC) was founded in New York City in the spring of 1982. Founders Paul Hennefled, Blair O’Dell, Brian Lanter, and Lambda Stamps met on a Sunday afternoon at the Greenwich Village restaurant, One Potato. There plans were drawn up for the formation of the club, and these philatelic pioneers assessed the steps needed to gain American Topical Association (ATA) Study Unit status.
The founders received word in July 1983 that their application for study unit status was rejected by the ATA Board of Directors. No reason was given for the rejection. For the next two years, GLHSC and ATA sent letters back and forth to try to come to an agreement on study unit status. The Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund was contacted for help. Study Unit status was finally granted by the ATA Board of Directors on June 10, 1985.
Nearly ten years later, GLHSC applied for Affiliate status with the American Philatelic Society. This time, there was no lengthy letter-writing campaign, and GLHSC was granted APS Affiliate No. 205 on August 28, 1991.
The Lambda Philatelic Journal is the official publication of the club. It is published quarterly (March, June, September and December), and thrives on contributions from GLHSC members. In 1996, the first membership directory was published.
Topical collecting, or thematics, is the art of collecting philatelic material from around the world based on the subject matter rather than by issuing country. Persons depicted on postage stamps are generally not commemorated because of their sexual identity, but for their major contributions to society. Gay collections will include both persons and their works.
Another aspect of topical collecting is that of postmarks, cancellations, and meters. The first known gay-related postmark was issued in Sweden for Gay Pride Week in 1983. The first gay-related postmark issued in the United States was on the 20th anniversary of the Stonewall riots in 1989. The issuance of this postmark caused an uproar, the critics being led by former Senator Jesse Helms. To date, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Sweden, and the United States are the only countries known to have issued gay-related postmarks and cancellations.
Although AIDS does not affect only the gay and lesbian community, it first appeared in this community. For this reason, many members of GLHSC collect AIDS and AIDS-related philatelic materials. More than 100 countries have issued stamps related to AIDS or persons with AIDS (PWAs). The first AIDS-related stamps were issued by San Marino in 1988.
The membership of GLHSC is truly global in nature. We have more than 150 members and although our membership reside primarily in the United States, we have members from Sweden, Australia, Italy, Canada, United Kingdom, Poland, Brazil, Czech Republic, France, The Netherlands, Portugal, and Norway.
GLHSC tries to hold a membership meeting at one of the various large two or three-day stamp shows held across the United States every year. Please contact us for details on specific meetings at these shows.
A first attempt at a website was posted on the Internet in 2000. GLHSC is always looking for someone who would be interested in helping to upgrade the site. If you have these skills, we would love to talk with you.
Objective: To promote the study and dissemination of knowledge of philatelic material depicting homosexual or bisexual behavior.
Annual Dues: U.S./Mexico/Canada $10; others $15.
Benefits: quarterly journal, Lambda Philatelic Journal, directory, handbooks.
Website: www.glhsc.org.
Contact Person: Joe Petronie, P. O. Box 190842, Dallas, TX 75219-0842; e-mail: glhsc@aol.com.
Women Exhibitors (AF0260)
WE (Women Exhibitor’s) was started at AmeriStamp Expo in February 2007 with thirteen members. That membership, both women and men, has grown to more than a 100 in just a little over two years.
Our current goals are: (1) for WE members to exhibit 120 frames at the Rocky Mountain Stamp Show in Denver in May 2010, and (2) to double WE membership within the next year.
The first ever Festival for Philatelic Women, (Fest I), held at the American Philatelic Center in May 2009, was an outstanding success. Festival attendees told the WE board that more Festivals were needed, so Fest II is planned for May 2010.
The purpose, formed at the initial meeting, guides WE activities:
Statement of Purpose: to provide a vehicle through which women exhibitors can encourage each other through sharing information, ideas, experience, advice, problems, and solutions.
WE serves as a forum for women to discuss and explore issues relating to exhibiting. WE encourages newcomers to exhibiting and helps them get started. Continuing exhibitors serve as mentors and lend support to all as they share lessons learned in the wide world of exhibiting.
WE has meetings twice yearly, at ASP StampShow and AmeriStamp Expo. Summaries of programs and workshops held at these shows are shared through the quarterly publication, WE Think, and through the monthly newsletter, WE Expressions. In addition, satellite meetings are held at national, regional, and local shows. Leaders of the satellite meetings discuss issues and share information from other meetings.
WE meetings are open to all, but philately is explored from a woman’s point of view. WE appreciates the support of AAPE and APS, and thanks all who have extended invitations for meetings and exhibits.
WE sponsors the Sterling Achievement Award to serve as an encouragement to a promising exhibit. This award is given to recognize any exhibit that has been awarded a bronze, silver-bronze, or silver medal that shows merit in philatelic knowledge, subject knowledge, material, or treatment. The award can be given to any exhibit (women, men, and youth) that meets the criteria.
Objective: To provide a vehicle through which women exhibitors can encourage each other through sharing information, ideas, experience, advise, problems and solutions.
Annual Dues: $5
Benefits: quarterly-online journal, WE Think, seminars, monthly newsletter, WE Expressions, one-on-one mentoring, exhibition awards.
Website: www.aape.org/Weweb.asp
Contact Person: Ruth M. Caswell, 815 South 216th Street, #GC58, Seattle, WA 98198; e-mail: ruthandlyman@earthlink.net.
APS Affiliate Coordination Committee
J.E. McDevitt, Chairman
3561 Country Court North
Mobile, AL 36619-5335 |
