On April 7, Oprah Winfrey, Ambassador Andrew Young and other notables will join Postmaster General Megan Brennan in dedicating the Maya Angelou Forever stamp in Washington, D.C.
The legacy of the author, poet, actress, and champion of civil rights’ will live on
via the stamp, which showcases Atlanta-based artist Ross Rossin’s 2013 4ft. by 4ft. oil-on-canvas portrait of her. The large hyper-realistic painting reflected on the stamp is part of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery’s collection, and its pane includes an excerpt from Angelou’s book, “Letter to My Daughter,” that reads, “Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.†Art director Ethel Kessler of Bethesda, Maryland, designed the stamp.Other invited guests include Angelou’s grandson Colin Johnson; Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL); poet Sonia Sanchez; author and journalist Sophia Nelson; Howard University English professor Eleanor Traylor; poet and civil rights activist Nikki Giovanni; civil rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton; and Rossin.
Angelou supporters and fans are encouraged to share the news on social media using #MayaForever. The Maya Angelou Forever stamps may be pre-ordered now at this link for delivery shortly after April 7.
For more information or to RSVP to attend this free event, visit usps.com/mayaforever or call 866-268-3243 before 5 p.m. EST April 3.