The Negro League Legends Hall of Fame (NLLHOF) and United States Postal Service (USPS) teamed up for a stamp to honor celebrated baseball player Henry 鈥淗ank鈥 Aaron on Aug. 17.
Nearly 100 attendees filled NLLHOF鈥檚 suite at聽Prince George鈥檚 Stadium to hear about Aaron鈥檚 legacy in both baseball and Black history and purchase pictorial cachet covers bearing the stamp and the NLLHOF branding. Books of stamps were available on the stadium concourse for $14.60 each, while the pictorial cachet covers were $7 for the special edition and $8 for the first-day issue.聽
鈥淭his was an amazing event. Dwayne [Renal Sims, the event鈥檚 founder] brings our history, in sports and in the community, to the forefront,鈥 Montr茅 Dupree, event attendee and community organizer, told The Informer. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great opportunity to see art and history blended together so beautifully. , who designed the stamp, did an excellent job. I鈥檓 excited to be here as a volunteer for this historic event.鈥
The Prince George鈥檚 County Sheriff鈥檚 Office ceremonial color guard presented colors during the ceremony. Virginia state Sen. Aaron Rouse (D-District 22) presented a proclamation for the late Levi 鈥淐happie鈥 Drew, a former Negro League player and NLLHOF board member emeritus.
Attendees celebrated the festivities, with many decked out in game-day attire. Some women donned 1920s-era flapper attire, with other people wore Negro League gear, such as a Josh Gibson jersey and several vintage Jackie Robinson jerseys.
In addition, members of the local chapter of the Ebony Society of Philatelic Events and Reflections (), an organization committed to collecting and recording stamps across the African diaspora, emphasized the importance of celebrating the Aaron stamp.
鈥淲e鈥檙e an international organization that collects stamps all across the world,鈥 said Jean West Lewis, director of ESPER鈥檚 Maryland, Delaware and D.C. chapter. 鈥淭here are over 100 stamps honoring African Americans. Willie Mays, who just died, we will be celebrating him soon. If people are unable to make it to the city he鈥檚 from in Alabama, you can count on ESPER鈥檚 D.C. chapter to have a dedication here just like this one.鈥
Due to a rain delay, the East-West Negro League All-Star Game and Auto Show, originally scheduled as part of stamp ceremony activities, has been rescheduled for Sept. 1. This year鈥檚 game is particularly significant as Major League Baseball finally chose to integrate Negro Leagues stats into the career records for retired players.
鈥淭he game is free: this is my gift to the community I grew up in,鈥 Sims, founder of NLLHOF, . 鈥淵ou saw all these nice vintage cars before Negro League games at Griffith Stadium and we鈥檙e keeping that tradition alive with the auto show.鈥
Tickets for the Sept. 1 game are available . The 91传媒制片厂 Informer is a partner for the game.
I was there in attendance at this Historic Occasion. It made me proud to be apart of Hank Aaron鈥檚 stamp Reveal. Thank you Mr. Dwayne Sims for inviting me!!