New Exhibit at High Point Museum Celebrates African American Heritage Through Stamps
Amid the celebrations of Black History Month, the High Point Museum is unveiling an exhibition that captures pivotal moments in African American history. The exhibit, named “To Form a More Perfect Union,” showcases a series of U.S. Postal Service stamps issued over two decades ago to commemorate key civil rights achievements.
This exhibition is curated by the Thankful Heritage Museum, a nonprofit dedicated to safeguarding African American heritage through historical, cultural, and artistic materials.
Effley Howell, President and CEO of the Thankful Heritage Museum, drew inspiration from a series of 10 commemorative stamps released by the U.S. Postal Service in the early 2000s. These stamps, also titled “To Form a More Perfect Union,” honored significant events such as the Greensboro lunch counter sit-in, the Selma march, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Howell emphasizes the significance of the postal service’s tradition of recognizing African American contributions. “Booker T. Washington was the first Black person to be on the U.S. postal stamp in 1940, I believe it was,” Howell notes. “And George Washington Carver was the second one in ’48.”
Through this exhibit, Howell aspires to bring historical African American milestones into contemporary awareness, providing visitors with an opportunity for reflection. “When you start looking at the stamps, it’s like, this is something important,” he expresses. “But hey, I can have the stamp. It’s an easy way to collect history.”
Visitors can explore the exhibit, which includes stamps, archival photos, signage, and additional historical context, at the High Point Museum starting Saturday. The exhibition will be available for viewing until the end of the month.
