Print for the USPS Emancipation Proclamation Forever Stamp: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A print for the USPS Emancipation Proclamation Forever Stamp. The rectangular print has a white background and is covered in text in black and red ink that reads [HENCEFORWARD / SHALL BE / FREE / EMANCIPATION / PROCLAMATION / ABRAHAM LINCOLN / ***1863*** / FOREVER*** USA]. The phrase “Shall be free” and the name “Abraham Lincoln” are in red, the rest of the text is in black ink. Bright yellow stars and yellow dots are scattered across the page. The text is superimposed over the stars and dots. The print is hand signed by the artist at bottom right: [Gail Anderson].

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: ca. 2013
• Created by: Gail Anderson, American, born 1962
• Subject of: President Abraham Lincoln, American, 1809 - 1865
• Type: prints
• Medium: ink on paper (fiber product)
• Dimensions: H x W: 22 × 14 in. (55.9 × 35.6 cm)
• Place depicted: United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Art
• Topic: Design
• Topic: Emancipation
• Topic: Graphic design
• Topic: U.S. History, Civil War, 1861-1865
• Object number: 2020.11.25
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Gail Anderson
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: © United States Postal Service Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.