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PUBLIC WILL VOTE ON WHAT'S FEATURED ON NEW STAMPS
By Randolph E. Schmid
The Associated Press
Washington---Coming soon to a post office near you:
a blitz of commemorative postage stamps recalling the
century's first two decades.

Eventually, the series ~Celebrate the Century" will
entail 150 commemorative stamps issued over the next
2 1/2 years, looking back from the millennium at America's
20th century history.  Events to be commissioned in the
years since 1950 will be chosen by vote of the public.

The project grew from an idea Azeezaly Jaffer, the
Postal Service's stamp chief, had as he flew across the
country one day.  He decided ~We ought to do something
about the millennium", Jaffer said, and formed a group
to discuss how to do it.  Their determination "Let's give
American an opportuity to put its stamp on history."

"It's the first time....this has happened."  Jaffer said
of the voting plan.

True, the public was invited to choose which image of
Elvis Presley would be used on the stamps that became the
post office's most popular commemorative of all time.  But
the "Celebrate the Century" series marks the first public
participation to the extent of actually determining stamp
subjects.

Each decade will have 15 stamps recounting famous events
or personalities.  The post office's advisory committee
on on stamps picked topics for 1900-1949, and the series
starts today (1/5/98) with stamps being issued for the
1900's and 1910's.

In the first voting, for stamps harking back to the
1950's, Americans will consider 30 topics including school
desegration, construction of the interstate highway system,
development of the polio vaccine, drive-in movies,
rock 'n' roll music, cars with tail fins and chrome,
the first satellites, boxer Rocky Marciano, I LOVE LUCY  <---------------
and America's move to the suburbs.  The top 15 vote-getters
will be featured on stamps.

Those ballots will be available at post offices nationwide
starting FEBRUARY 3.  Ballots for voting on stamps reflecting <-------
the 1960s, '70s, '80s, and '90s come out later.

New York Major Rudolph Giuliani is to attend today's
launch ceremony at Ellis Island, N.Y., and release stamps
honoring that port of arrival for millions of turn-of-the-century
immigrants.  Also expected are singer Ray Charles and actress
Brenda Love.

Other stamps issued over the next month will recall the Ford
Model T, Wilbur and Orville Wright's first flight and the
first World Series.  Among individuals honored will be
George Washington Carver, Woodrow Wilson, Jack Dempsey,
Theodore Roosevelt, Jim Thorpe and Charlie Chaplin.

Jaffer, executive director of stamp services for the post office,
said his agency is working with the Education Department to
involve school-children in this history project.

The historical stamps can be used as teaching tools, he
said, and pupils will be given ballots to take home and
discuss potential subjects with their parents.

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Enjoy!  Mark your calendars for February 3rd!!!