Stand Watie

James A. Fussell of the Kansas City Star reports on the 2008 stamp program and how subjects are chosen in an interesting article titled, "Being on a Postage Stamp is an Honor That Sticks."

Fussell points out in his article, "But while you have to be a citizen to be on a stamp, you don’t have to be famous. Ask Terry McCaffrey, manager of stamp development for the Postal Service in Washington."

McCaffrey is quoted as saying, “One of the fascinating aspects of my job is when a new subject is brought forward. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said ‘Who?’ We try to use the stamp program as an educational tool, to get these people known and tell their story.”

As an example... the 1995, 20-stamp series on the Civil War has stamps of Gen. Robert E. Lee, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and President Abraham Lincoln

"But they also made a stamp of a man named Stand Watie," writes Fussell.

Who?

Watie was the only American Indian to attain the rank of brigadier general during the Civil War and was the last Confederate general to surrender.

To read the entire article, click here.

For more on Watie, click here.