The most impressive ceremony of its kind in
the history of the United States Post Office De
partment set the stage Thursday, April 8th, for
the introduction .of the Nation’s first regular stamp
combining a religious message and the Statue of
Liberty.
At the request of thousands of persons who
have urged the Post Office Department to issue
a regular stamp with a religious sentiment, the
new 8c Statue of Liberty stamp carries the inscrip
tion of "In God We Trust” arched over the sym
bolic torch bearer which stands at the entrance of
New York Harbor on Bedloe’s Island. Under this
symbol of freedom that thrills returning citizens
and visitors to the United States is the word
"Liberty.”
"The symbolism of God and Country in this
.75 by .87 inch stamp,” Postmaster General Arthur
E. Summerfield said, "marks the first time that a
religious tone has been incorporated into a reg
ular or ordinary stamp, as distinguished from a
commemorative stamp which is discontinued after
the initial printing order.
"Since this new stamp will be used primarily
for international regular mail,” Mr. Summerfield
noted, "it is 'a postal Ambassador’ which will go
abroad at the rate of 200 million or more stamps
a year.”
This stamp was introduced to a nationwide
television and radio audience during a 15-minute
program in which President Dwight D. Eisen
hower, Secretary of State John Foster Dulles and
Postmaster General Summerfield participated with
the leaders of the Nation’s three largest religious
groups.