By Any Means Necessary - Essential Reading List
In April, APS Stamp Chat welcomed Charlene Blair, the founder of the National Museum of African Americans on Stamps, who gave an excellent presentation, "By Any Means Necessary: Digital, Virtual, and Traveling African American & Civil Rights Exhibitions."
Charlene "The Stamp Keeper" Blair invites listeners to join her in using stamps as agents of change and education, honoring the mission and vision of the NMAAS:
- To share philatelic collections that shape conversation about our past, present, and future,
- To introduce others to African Americans on stamps, and
- To create change that improves relationships, facilitates mutual respect, and supports inclusion.
We invite you to revisit this stamp chat below:
Blair has numerous presentations to include "Civil Rights Movement: Civil War to Civil Rights". Additionally she is presenting for the American Topical Association and give a Stamp Chat on March 9th at 3 PM EST, registration is now open.
Want to learn more about Black American history on stamps? The American Philatelic Research Library has many sources that can help you. APS and APRL members can check out resources from the library and our staff will mail the books to you. Learn more about using the APRL and its resources here.
BOOKS
Allen, R. Charles. Black American heritage through United States postage stamps (Washington, D.C.: Bridge Publications, c1979).
Location: APRL [G3701 .T674 A428b]
Borman, Stu. Black chemist Percy Julian commemorated on postage stamp (Washington, D.C.: American Chemical Society, 1993.).
Location: APRL [G3701 .C734 B735b]
Bundles, A'Lelia Perry. Madam C.J. Walker (New York: Chelsea House Publishers, c1991).
Location: APRL [G3701 .Z999 B942m 1991]
Driscoll, Robert G. Brookman Black Heritage first day cachet cover catalog (Bedford, NH: Brookman/Barrett & Worthen, c1999.).
Location: APRL [PRICE LIST Brookman/Barrett & Worthen]
Johnson, Glenderlyn. Black American pioneers: stamped on history (New York: Venture Publishing Co., c1987.).
Location: APRL [G3701 .T674 J67b]
Lorch, Lee. Percy Julian letters (Washington, D.C.: American Chemical Society, 1993).
Location: APRL [G3701 .C734 B735b Letters]
Mashburn, J.L. (Joseph Lee). Black Americana postcard price guide: a century of history preserved on postcards (Enka, NC: J.L. Mashburn, Colonial House, c1996.).
Location: APRL [G3701 .P839 M397b 1996]
Morant, Mack Bernard. African Americans on stamps (Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, 2003.).
Location: APRL [HE6183 .A258 M83a 2003] Mack Bernard Morant ; foreword by MacGorine Cassell
Piazza, Daniel. Freedom just around the corner: Black America from Civil War to civil rights (Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian National Postal Museum, c2014).
Location: APRL [IP59963; IP59964; IP59984]
United States Postal Service. I have a dream, a collection of Black Americans on U.S. postage stamps ([Washington, D.C.]: U.S. Postal Service, c1991.).
Location: APRL [HE6183 .A258 H383]
United States Postal Service. African Americans on stamps: a celebration of African-American heritage ([Washington, D.C.]: United States Postal Service, January 2003 - 28 p.; January 2004 - 31 p.).
Location: APRL [VERT FILE]
United States Postal Service. African Americans on stamps [electronic resource]: a celebration of African-American heritage ([Washington, D.C.]: United States Postal Service, January 2004).
Location: APRL [Online]
JOURNALS
Library staff can scan articles for you to send by email or mail. Learn more.
Black American Philatelic Society. Black American Philatelic Society (Landover, Md.: Black American Philatelic Society, 1983-1986).
Location: APRL [JOURNAL Black American Philatelic Society]
Reflections. Ebony Society of Philatelic Events and Reflections (Somerset, NJ: Ebony Society of Philatelic Events and Reflections, 1995-).
Location: APRL [JOURNAL Reflections]
STAMP ALBUM
The black American stamp album: a philatelic study of black Americans (Cherry Hill, NJ: Austin Enterprises, c1988.).
Location: APRL [ALBUM]
Stamp Chats and other Online Media
Hispanic Heritage on Stamps presented by Mr. Clarence McKnight
By Any Means Necessary: Digital, Virtual and Traveling African American and Civil Rights Exhibitions presented by Ms. Charlene Blair
Voices of the Harlem Renaissance: The First Day Ceremony presented by Dr. Warachal Faison, Mr. Walter Faison, et.al.
African Canadians on Stamps presented by Mr. Howard Ingram
Postal History of Caribbean/African Communities in the British Empire Commonwealth presented by Dr. Richard Morel
This story originally appeared on Stamps.org on 6/20/21.