Edward Hopper was likely the best known American artist of his time.  He knew from childhood that he wanted to be an artist and eventually studied art in America and then Europe.  He is known for painting harsh New England landscapes, deserted streets at night, lighthouses, hotels, trains, highways, public and semi-public places, restaurants, theaters, and offices.  The theme of “loneliness” was often the focus of many of his paintings.  Edward Hopper died in 1967 and like with so many other artists, his work is only now being fully appreciated.

The Vancouver Aquarium opened its doors in 1956 and has since seen over 30 million visitors.  The aquarium is considered to be a leading expert in Beluga whales and their mascot is “Bee Bop Beluga”.  The 51 cent commemorative postage stamps that were issued in 2006 by Canada feature pictures of these beautiful Beluga whales.

Stamp Center has two beautiful Vancouver Aquarium postage stamps in stock and ready to ship out to you. One booklet is of the Beluga whale and one is of a child viewing the Beluga whale from the giant underwater picture window at the aquarium.  Both would make a wonderful addition to any stamp collection.  If you would like to add these to your collection, contact Stamp Center today.

The mission of the Boys and Girls Club of Canada is “to provide a safe, supportive place where children and youth can experience new opportunities, overcome barriers, build positive relationships and develop confidence and skills for life.”  The Boys and Girls Club is known for helping children with career development, education, and cultural understanding issues.  In June of 2000, Canada Post issued commemorative postage stamp to honor the 100th Anniversary of the Boys & Girls Club of Canada.

If you would like to add the Boys and Girls Club of Canada postage stamp to your stamp collection, please contact Stamp Center today.  We offer free shipping to our US customers and $4.50 flat rate shipping to our international customers.

The theme of the 2010 Winter Olympics was “Sea to Sky”.  The concept linked the Whistler’s snow capped ski slopes with a scenic coastal city of Canada.  The use of the winter mascots: Miga, Quatchi and Sumi, all received some criticism because some people thought that they looked like they were “too Japanese” or even called them “space creatures”.  Instead, these mascots were chosen because it was believed that they would appeal to both children and adults. Miga is a sea bear, Quatchi is a sasquatch, and Sumi is an animal guardian spirit, all mythological characters.

Each postage stamp has the 2010 Winter Olympic Games emblem on it as well. The “Inukshuk” is constructed of rocks and serves as a trail marker in Canada. The 2010 version is called an Ilanaaq, which means “friend”.

Fittingly, the stamp release ceremony was held at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Monterey, California.  All of the plant and sea life depicted in the stamp pane can be found off the California coast near Monterey.  An interesting thing about the release ceremony is that divers unveiled an enlargement of the gorgeous stamp pane while they were underwater themselves!

If you would like to add the 44 cent self adhesive Nature of America:  Kelp Forest postage stamps to your collection, contact Stamp Center today.  We have a huge selection of US and international postage stamps to choose from.  Please consider Stamp Center for all of your philatelic needs.

Anna Julia Cooper was honored by the United States Postal Service with a commemorative postage stamp on June 11, 2009.  This 44 cent postage stamp makes Anna Julia Cooper the 32nd person to be added into the popular “Black Heritage” series by the USPS.

If you would like to add the Anna Julia Cooper postage stamp to your collection, please contact Stamp Center today. We offer free shipping to our US customers and $4.50 flat rate shipping to our international customers.

In 1962, Cesar Chavez left the CSO and founded the National Farm workers Association which is now called the United Farm Workers of America.  In such he was able to secure fair wages, medical coverage, pension benefits, humane living conditions, and many other previously unattainable rights for the hundreds of thousands of farm workers in America.  He did not hesitate to use non-violent ways to communicate his organizations needs by fasting, strikes, and boycotts.

Interestingly enough, despite his notoriety, Cesar Chavez never earned more than $6,000 in a single year, nor did he ever own his own home.  Since his death, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is the highest civilian honor in America.  There have also been many schools, parks, streets and libraries named in his honor.  The legacy that he left behind is that all American’s should be treated with the same respect, dignity and equality, regardless of social standing.

In April of 2003, the United States Postal Service issued a 37 cent commemorative postage stamp to honor this great American.  If you would like to add the Cesar Chavez postage stamp sheetlet to your collection, contact Stamp Center today.  We offer free shipping to our US customers and $4.50 flat rate shipping to our international customers.

Born in a farming community in Arizona on March 31, 1927, Cesar Chavez recognized from an early age just how hard migrant farm workers suffered as they worked in America.  During the Great Depression, at the young age of 10, Chavez and his family became migrant farm workers themselves after their family lost their home.  The family worked together in various vineyards and fields, enduring terrible injustices, as they traveled across the southwest.

Despite the fact that Chavez was quite good in school, his constant travels as a migrant farm worker was difficult on his studies.  He attended more than 30 different elementary and middle schools before he eventually had to stop attending to work in the fields on a full time basis.  Chavez never lost his love for learning though and continued to educate himself throughout his entire lifetime.

After World War II, Chavez decided to join the United States Navy in 1946.  He eventually married Helen Fabela, another California vineyard migrant worker, and they had eight children together.  In 1952 Cesar Chavez joined a Latino civil rights group called the Community Service Organization (CSO).  After helping organize voter registration drives and running various campaigns against discrimination, Chavez was promoted to the position of National Director.

Please check back on Friday for the conclusion.

Despite her many successes in film and radio, McDaniel was often criticized for the stereotypical rolls that she played.  She is known for saying “I’d rather make $700 a week playing a maid than earn $7 a day being a maid.”  She worked tirelessly behind the scenes to change the way that African American’s were treated in the entertainment industry.

In 1947, Hattie McDaniel starred in a radio show called “The Beulah Show”.  While there, she was able to negotiate the right to alter the scripts of the shows when they did not meet her approval.  She also gained praise from the NAACP by convincing producers that it was not necessary for her to speak in dialect that would be detrimental to her race.  In 1951 The Beulah Show moved to television and McDaniel starred in the first three episodes until she discovered that she had breast cancer.  Sadly, she died on October 26, 1952.

Hattie McDaniel took her place among the 28 other honorees in the popular United States Postal Service’s Black Heritage commemorative postage stamp series. If you would like to add this 39-cent Hattie McDaniel postage stamp to your collection, contact Stamp Center today.

Arriving in Hollywood in 1931, she is credited with appearing in more than 90 films throughout her vast career.  It is widely believed however, that she appeared in as many as 300 films, performing many un-credited roles such as chorus singers, extras and maids.  She is most known for her performances in Gone With the Wind, Since You Went Away, Show Boat, and In This Our Life.  Her greatest working accomplishment came when she achieved the great honor of winning an Oscar for her performance as “Mammy” in the 1939 film Gone With the Wind.  It should be noted that Hattie McDaniel was the first African American to ever win an Academy Award for that performance!

Please check back on Monday for the conclusion.