Friday, June 13, 2025
It’s the fabric of America
The U.S. flag is part of the nation’s history — and a popular stamp subject
The Postal Service’s latest U.S. Flag stamp continues a tradition that began more than a century ago.
Stamps featuring the American flag have evolved to reflect changes to the nation itself.
Here are six facts about the U.S. Flag and its depiction on postage stamps:
• Flag Day was first proclaimed in 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson. Observed every year on June 14, it commemorates the first Flag Resolution, which was adopted by the Second Continental Congress on that day in 1777.
• The U.S. Flag Code was created in 1923. The code became the basis for the 1942 federal law that provides guidelines for the use and display of the flag. According to the code, the Stars and Stripes can be displayed every day, not just on federal and state holidays and other days proclaimed by the president.
• The first U.S. flag stamp was issued in 1869, but it wasn’t until 1957 that stamps began featuring full-color images. On July 4, 1957, the Post Office Department issued a 4-cent stamp that depicted a 48-star flag — the first stamp to depict the flag in red, white and blue. To produce the stamps, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing used a special press for the first time.
• Not everyone was a fan of the 1957 stamp. Postage requires cancellation, and some were opposed to the release of a full-color flag stamp because they saw the cancellation as a desecration of the flag.
• A 1963 4-cent stamp was the first to show the American flag with 50 stars. As stipulated by Congress in 1818, the number of stars on the flag has to match the number of states, with a new star added on the Independence Day following a state’s entrance into the union. The flag’s 50th star was added on July 4, 1960, after Hawaii became a state in 1959.
• U.S. flags are now stamp fixtures. Many stamps depicting the flag have been issued over the years. These include stamps that show Old Glory flying over landmarks such as the White House and the U.S. Capitol, and being raised during historic moments such as the 1969 moon landing and at Ground Zero in New York City in 2001, as well as releases that showcase the flag itself.
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People
This safety slogan just clicked
A letter carrier wins a contest, a postmaster gears up for hurricane season and Johnny Cash gets his own Post Office
“Seatbelts: Saving Lives Since 1985” was the winning catchphrase in Michigan 1 District’s first seatbelt safety slogan contest.
Keitha Gomez, a letter carrier in Redford, MI, came up with it after researching Michigan’s mandatory seatbelt law, which took effect July 1, 1985.
“I tell my kids and share with others: If you pause for only five seconds before rushing to do something, you can save yourself a lifetime of physical and financial distress,” Gomez said.
The district’s accident reduction committee held the contest, which drew 111 entries.
During a local ceremony, District Manager Rick Moreton presented Gomez with a certificate and told attendees about a letter carrier who recently survived an accident because she was wearing a seatbelt.
“Wearing a seatbelt is one of the most important choices we can make to stay safe,” Moreton said.
A helping hand with emergency plans
Hurricane season began June 1, and emergency preparations are top of mind for many in what is forecast to be an active season.
They’re also top of mind for postmasters and supervisors who must review, update and certify their Integrated Emergency Management Module in the Facilities Database before the June 15 deadline.
To help with the process, the Central Area National Preparedness team offered support via Zoom calls that facility leaders joined at their convenience to gain clarification or assistance with the process.
Jackson Center, OH, Postmaster CJ Foster was grateful for the help. “It was super-easy and convenient,” he said. “I told them what my problem was and they walked me through it.”
Where Cash is king
Call it an unbroken circle.
The Post Office in Johnny Cash’s hometown of Kingsland, AR, was recently renamed in his honor, and an official renaming ceremony took place last week.
It is a return engagement of sorts for the Man in Black. In 1994, Cash — along with his wife, June Carter Cash, his son, John, and all his living siblings — performed “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” at the then-new Post Office’s dedication. Nearly 3,000 people attended that event.
“This has probably been the best day of my life,” Cash said at the time. “I love you, and I love Kingsland.”
The country music icon was born in the Arkansas town in 1932. He died in Nashville, TN, in 2003.
A bill proposing the renaming of the Post Office was introduced last June and passed the U.S. House of Representatives on a unanimous vote. After passage in the Senate, it was signed into law in January.
The facility is now officially the Kingsland “Johnny Cash” Post Office.
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News Quiz
It’s a deal
How much do you know about the newest USPS labor agreement?
“News Quiz” is a weekly feature that lets you test your knowledge of recent Link stories. The correct answers appear at the end.
1. The tentative agreement between USPS and American Postal Workers Union covers how many clerks, mechanics, vehicle drivers, custodians and administrative employees?
a) 150,000
b) 175,000
c) 190,000
d) 215,000
2. Derrick Milling, an IT client support manager at USPS headquarters, learned to speak which foreign language while serving as a Green Beret in the U.S. Army?
a) Arabic
b) German
c) Hindi
d) Italian
3. Mary Hulshouser, a USPS retention operations specialist in Fort Worth, TX, won first place at the Texas State Fair last year for her photo of which of the following?
a) Bald eagle snatching a salmon
b) Grizzly bear snacking on wild berries
c) Great egrets displaying their mating plumage
d) Rattlesnake resting under a moss-covered rock
4. What will members of the winning team and the top individual scorers of the Summertime wellness challenge receive?
a) $20 gift card
b) Water bottle
c) Gym bag
d) Hooded sweatshirt
5. What did Butler, PA, Postmaster Anthony Kriley and Letter Carrier Jamie Stevens rescue customer Janice Taylor from?
a) Hornet swarm
b) Falling ladder
c) Dog attack
d) Fire
Answers: 1) c. 2) a. 3) c. 4) a. 5) c.
Postal Bulletin shines a light on PMG Heroes’ Program
Postal Bulletin’s latest edition, published June 12, includes information about how the Postmaster General Heroes’ Program recognizes employees who have gone above and beyond the call of duty.
Updates to the organization’s policies, procedures and forms are also included.
Employees can go to usps.com to read and download the latest Postal Bulletin, along with past issues.
View past printouts
Printout details
What's included
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It’s the fabric of America
The U.S. flag is part of the nation’s history — and a popular stamp subject
-
People
This safety slogan just clicked
A letter carrier wins a contest, a postmaster gears up for hurricane season and Johnny Cash gets his own Post Office
-
News Quiz
It’s a deal
How much do you know about the newest USPS labor agreement?
-
Brief
Postal Bulletin shines a light on PMG Heroes’ Program