The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has announced a commemorative Forever stamp honoring former President Jimmy Carter.
Why It Matters
Carter, who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981, died on December 29, 2024, at the age of 100.
The Postal Service’s commemorative program seeks to honor figures and moments that resonate with American civic life. The USPS said the stamp release commemorated Carter’s public service and long postpresidential humanitarian work.
The Carter stamp joins a broader slate of USPS commemorative stamps issued recently, including a Barbara Bush stamp, and releases tied to the 250th anniversaries of the U.S. Army, Navy and Marine Corps.
What To Know
The USPS unveiled the stamp art at the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park in Plains, Georgia, alongside representatives from the Friends of Jimmy Carter and the National Park Service on August 16.
The stamp’s image is a 1982 oil-on-linen painting by artist Herbert E. Abrams, created as a life study for Carter’s White House portrait, and the overall stamp design is by USPS art director Ethel Kessler.
USPS said the Forever stamp would equal the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price when used and would be available from October 1.
In its news release, the USPS drew attention to Carter’s achievements in the White House and beyond.
During his presidency, Carter expanded the National Park System, created a federal mental health commission, and oversaw deregulation in sectors such as energy and air travel. Internationally, he brokered the Camp David Accords, signed the SALT II arms treaty with the Soviet Union and established diplomatic ties with China.
After leaving office, Carter focused on global issues through the Carter Center, promoting democracy and health initiatives. In 2002, he received the Nobel Peace Prize.
What People Are Saying
Peter Pastre, USPS’s vice president of government relations and public policy, said in a news release: “The stamp program celebrates the best in American culture, places and people, and it is difficult to consider a more fitting honoree than former President Jimmy Carter. In his support and leadership of his beloved community, state, and nation, he lent his quiet, thoughtful and deliberate energy around causes he believed in, and most certainly in his conduct and accomplishments as a former President, Jimmy Carter truly personified the best in America. I am honored to participate in the reveal of this stamp art which fully evokes his humanity.”
Kim Carter Fuller, the executive director of the Friends of Jimmy Carter, said in the news release: “The Carter family and the Friends of Jimmy Carter are honored to be able to take part in revealing the design for President Carter’s Forever stamp. Together we’ve had the distinct privilege of a front row seat to his life and legacy, and today’s reveal gives the world an opportunity to share his legacy with others on a daily basis.”
What Happens Next
The Postal Service said customers could purchase the stamp through the online Postal Store, by phone, by mail or at Post Office locations nationwide.
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