Hispanic Americans in the Postal Service and Philately

Topical Reference Page
2 cent stamp with the face of John Philip Sousa

2-cent John Philip Sousa stamp, issued May 3, 1940. Sousa (1854-1932) was director of the Marine Band from 1880 to 1892. He wrote more than 100 marches, including "Semper Fidelis", "The Washington Post March", "El Capitan", and the most popular, "The Stars and Stripes Forever".

Since the first Spanish explorers and settlers landed in the Americas, Hispanic and Latino people have shaped the history and culture of the United States. Today, Hispanic and Latino people continue to demonstrate excellence in many areas including politics, public service, music, film, sports, business, science, and the military. The National Postal Museum is proud to recognize the significant contributions of these people and related events through various online exhibitions.

Desde que los primeros exploradores y colonos españoles desembarcaron en las Américas, los hispanos y los latinos han dado forma a la historia y a la cultura de los Estados Unidos y de América Latina. En la actualidad, los hispanos y los latinos continúan demostrando excelencia en muchas áreas, como la política, el servicio público, la música, el cine, los deportes, los negocios, la ciencia, y el servicio militar. El Museo Postal Nacional se enorgullece de reconocer las importantes contribuciones de estos pueblos y eventos relacionados a través de varias exposiciones en línea.

Perforated Type a with CENTAVOB errors
On March 31, 1960, Mrs. Margaret Tittmann donated the collection to the Smithsonian Institution. It was catalogued as 5,413 objects. Included are stamps issued between 1913 – 1914, with many types, varieties and usages. It is one of the Museum’s finest international collections.
Chilean stamp, 1853
This significant international collection was donated by Bernard Peyton to the Smithsonian national philatelic collection.
Letter from Carpintero, Pedro P. Rivera to Senor Don Jose A. Oyague
The Bernard Peyton Collection consists of 13 volumes of stamps, proofs, essays and covers from Peru from 1779 - 1897.
Exhibition

Though it existed as a stamp-issuing entity for only about seventy-five years, the Panama Canal Zone has a long history.

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Exhibition

Gente, Lugares y Eventos en Sellos Postales
Los sellos postales realzan lo que valoramos como pueblo y como cultura, y la exhibición Celebrando la Herencia Hispana: Gente, Lugares y Eventos en Sellos Postales, del Museo Postal Nacional, arroja nueva luz sobre las numerosas contribuciones de los hispano-americanos y latinos a la exploración, la cultura, el crecimiento , y la defensa de los Estados Unidos.

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Exhibition

People, Places and Events on Stamps
Stamps illuminate what we value as a people and a culture, and the National Postal Museum’s Celebrating Hispanic Heritage: People, Places and Events on Stamps sheds new light on the many contributions of Hispanic Americans and Latinos to the exploration, culture, growth, and defense of the United States. The virtual exhibit is bilingual (English and Spanish/Español).

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Camisa de béisbol con el nombre mesoamericano de un equipo, 1930–1950
Exhibition
El béisbol moderno surgió en el noreste de los Estados Unidos durante las décadas de 1830 y 1840, pero no se generalizó hasta después de la Guerra Civil. A medida que la nación absorbía a millones de inmigrantes y afirmaba un papel destacado en los asuntos internacionales a principios del siglo XX, los promotores del béisbol comenzaron a describir el juego como el “pasatiempo nacional”.
Baseball jersey with Mesoamerican-inspired team name, 1930s–1950s
Exhibition
Modern baseball emerged in the northeastern United States during the 1830s and ‘40s but did not become widespread until after the Civil War. As the nation absorbed millions of immigrants and asserted a prominent role in international affairs at the turn of the twentieth century, baseball’s promoters started describing the game as the “national pastime.”
These presentations were prepared by Cuban Postmaster General Carlos J. Asencio Valerino and his executive team, November 2013.
Irregular block of eight 10-centavos showing the bottom row of three stamps are sideways on the sheet.
Stamps of Colombia from 1859 to 1910 including the states of Bogota, Antioquia, Bolivar, Boyacá, Cundinamarca, Panama, Santander and Tolima.
The John M. Taylor Specialized Collection of Uruguay covers the specialized early issues from 1858 – 1901, mostly singles, some postal history and Back of the Book Official overprints.

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Roberto Clemente 1966 Pittsburgh Pirates Home Uniform

Two Puerto Rican players reached the big leagues in the early 1940s, but the doors flew open in the 1950s. Baseball fever in Puerto Rico reached unprecedented heights, and the island’s greatest star was Roberto Clemente.

Roberto “Momen” Clemente 1960 Louisville Slugger Professional Model Game Used Bat

The most prized and desired bats are those which exhibit physical markings that reveal personal traits associated with use by that ballplayer. This Louisville Slugger professional model bat perhaps epitomizes this phenomenon the most—all of its physical markings pertain to use by Clemente.

A Stamp that Changed History: How the Panama Canal was Almost the Nicaragua Canal

Never underestimate the power of a stamp! Postage stamps not only have the ability to document history, they can also change it. In fact, one such Nicaraguan stamp changed both American and world history by playing a role in the completion of the Panama Canal.

Alfredo Harp Helú: 2019 Smithsonian Philatelic Achievement Award Winner

On October 19, 2019, the National Postal Museum will celebrate three extraordinary individuals at the 8th Smithsonian Philatelic Achievement Awards. The 2019 SPAA recipients are Alfredo Harp Helú, Janet R. Klug and Charles F. Shreve.

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