This week, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) celebrated the enduring legacy of former first lady Barbara Bush. To do so, it unveiled a new commemorative Forever stamp in her honor. The dedication ceremony took place at Ganny’s Garden in Kennebunkport, a location cherished by the Bush family. Many Americans remember Mrs. Bush, wife of the 41st president and mother of the 43rd, for her sharp wit and unwavering commitment to family and literacy.
Speaking at the event, former President George W. Bush reflected on his mother’s core beliefs. “She knew family was vital to a happy life,” he explained. “She was a lover of books. It was really important to her because she knew if a child couldn’t read, a child couldn’t succeed.”
In addition, Doug Tulino, the acting U.S. Postmaster General, dedicated the stamp. He noted Mrs. Bush’s deep appreciation for the mail, stating, “She knew that each piece of mail is more than paper and postage. It was a bridge between one American and another — a personal connection with the public she served all her life.”
A Legacy of Compassion and Advocacy
Throughout her public life, Barbara Bush championed the cause of universal literacy. In fact, motivated by her son Neil’s dyslexia, she established the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy in 1989. She firmly believed literacy was the key to solving many of the nation’s problems. Consequently, she encouraged her husband to pass the National Literacy Act in 1991.
Her legacy, however, also includes profound acts of compassion. At the height of the AIDS crisis, for instance, Mrs. Bush visited a hospice where photographers famously captured her cradling a child with the disease. At the time, fear and stigma were rampant. As a result, her powerful gesture helped humanize the illness and encouraged public empathy and support for federal funding.
About the Barbara Bush Stamp
The new stamp features a detail from Mrs. Bush’s official 2005 White House portrait, a work by artist Chas Fagan. USPS art director Derry Noyes created the stamp’s design, which beautifully captures the former first lady wearing one of her signature multi-strand pearl necklaces.
As a Forever stamp, it will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price. Moreover, the USPS is issuing the stamp in panes of 20. It is available for purchase at Post Office locations nationwide and online at the USPS store. The Postal Service is also sharing news of the release with the hashtag #BarbaraBushStamp.
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