# 3185m - 1998 32c Celebrate the Century - 1930s: America Survives the Depression

US #3185m
1998 America Survives the Depression – Celebrate the Century (1930s)

• Part of the fourth sheet in the Celebrate the Century stamp series issued from 1998-2000
• Recalls the effects the Great Depression had on Americans from all walks of life
• Includes text on the back with historical details

Stamp Category: Commemorative
Series: Celebrate the Century
Value: 32¢ First Class Mail Rate
First Day of Issue: September 10, 1998
First Day City: Cleveland, Ohio
Quantity Issued: 188,000,000
Printed by: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.
Printing Method: Offset, Intaglio
Format: Panes of 15
Perforations: 11.6
Tagging: Block Tagging

Why the stamp was issued: To commemorate the resilience of the American people during the Great Depression.

About the stamp design: Pictures the Depression-era photograph Migrant Mother by Dorothea Lange. Includes the following text on the back “Dorothea Lange’s 1936 photograph of Native American Florence Owens Thompson symbolizes the courage of Americans as they tried to survive the hard times of the Great Depression.”

First Day City: The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held at the foot of Cleveland, Ohio’s Terminal Tower Building at Tower City Center. When it first opened in June 1930, the 52-story building was among the tallest buildings in the world and was the tallest west of New York City for 40 years.

About the Celebrate the Century series: The USPS launched the Celebrate the Century series in 1998 to mark the end of the 20th century and herald the arrival of the 21st. The series includes 10 sheets of 15 stamps (150 in total), with each honoring important moments from a different decade (1900s, 10s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s). At the time of completion, it was the longest and most ambitious commemorative stamp series in US history.

History the stamp represents: In 1933, the average American worker was earning 60% less than he had just four years earlier. One out of four Americans could not even find a job. The Great Depression affected more than just people’s savings – it also put society and the American spirit in a slump. It would take a determined president and some radical changes to put America back on track.

Because of bank failures, people could not make their rent or mortgage payments. Many lost their homes, causing humiliation and anger. During this time, marriage and birth rates declined. Young people out of work delayed marriage, and couples uncertain of the future put off having children. The Depression caused people to distrust business and doubt their employer’s ability to protect workers. Many believed job security did not exist, and labor unions flourished as a result.

Promising Americans a “new deal,” President Franklin D. Roosevelt took office in 1933. Working with a new Congress for bold changes, he passed 15 major programs during his first 100 days in office. His radio addresses, the “fireside chats,” attempted to rebuild the country’s spirit. So stricken with polio that he could stand only by using leg braces, Roosevelt’s innovations helped put a crippled America back on its feet.