Object Details
Depicts
Ethel Waters, American, c. 1896 - 1977
Description
The Postal Service honored five American music legends with the issuance of the Popular Singer commemorative stamps on September 1, 1994, in New York at Damrosch Park, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. The stamps feature Al Jolson, Bing Crosby, Ethel Waters, Nat "King" Cole, and Ethel Merman.
The Popular Singers stamps were an addition to the Postal Service's Legends of American Music Stamp Series. The series began in 1993 and ran for several years, featuring all generations of American music including jazz, blues, folk, classical, and gospel.
Ethel Waters (1896-1977) began her professional career performing vaudeville and blues and is believed to have performed in the same vaudeville circuit as blues greats "Ma" Rainey and Bessie Smith. Waters starred in many Broadway hits, including "Africana" (1927), "Blackbirds" (1930), and "As Thousands Cheer" (1933). In 1950 she won the Drama Critics' Circle Award for her performance in "Member of the Wedding."
Designed by Chris Payne of Cincinnati, Ohio, the 29-cent stamps in panes of twenty were produced in the photogravure process by Stamp Venturers, Inc.
Reference:
Postal Bulletin (August 18, 1994).
mint
10.1 horizontal perforations x 10.2 vertical perforations
Credit line
Copyright United States Postal Service. All rights reserved.
Date
September 1, 1994
Object number
1995.2075.40
Type
Postage Stamps
Medium
paper; ink (multicolored); adhesive / photogravure
Place
United States of America
See more items in
National Postal Museum Collection
Data Source
National Postal Museum
Topic
Music & Musicians
Black Heritage
Contemporary (1990-present)
Women's Heritage
U.S. Stamps
Link to Original Record
Record ID
npm_1995.2075.40