US #5835
2024 Thomas Garrett – Underground Railroad
• Honors Thomas Garrett and the many people he helped reach freedom through the Underground Railroad
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Underground Railroad
Value: 68¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: March 9, 2024
First Day City: Church Creek, Maryland
Quantity Issued: 20,000,0... more
US #5835
2024 Thomas Garrett – Underground Railroad
• Honors Thomas Garrett and the many people he helped reach freedom through the Underground Railroad
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Underground Railroad
Value: 68¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: March 9, 2024
First Day City: Church Creek, Maryland
Quantity Issued: 20,000,000
Printed by: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Panes of 20
Watermark: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag Applied
Why the stamp was issued: To commemorate major figure in the Underground Railroad, Thomas Garrett, and the 2,500+ escaped slaves he helped to freedom.
About the stamp design: Pictures a sepia-toned portrait of Thomas Garrett along with eight lines of text which read: BLACK/WHITE; COOPERATION; TRUST/DANGER; FLIGHT/FAITH; COURAGE/RISK; DEFIANCE/HOPE; UNDERGROUND; RAILROAD/USA. Designed by Antonio Alcalá using an existing image.
Special design details: On the reverse side of the pane of 20, there is a map picturing routes taken on the Underground Railroad from the South to North. The reverse side also includes a list of people pictured on the stamps plus biographical information on them.
First Day City: The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center in Church Creek, Maryland.
About the Underground Railroad set: Pictures 10 people who made their way to freedom or helped others reach freedom through the Underground Railroad. Includes: Harriet Tubman, Thomas Garrett, William Still, Harriet Jacobs, Jermain Loguen, Catherine Coffin, Lewis Hayden, Frederick Douglass, William Lambert, and Laura Haviland.
History the stamp represents: Thomas Garrett (August 21, 1789 – January 25, 1871) was an abolitionist and major figure in the Underground Railroad. In total, it is estimated he helped over 2,500 escaped slaves to freedom.
Garrett was born in a small town just outside of Philadelphia as a member of the Quaker Darby Friends Meeting community. He became an abolitionist when he was just 24 years old, rescuing a free Black woman from slave traders. Garrett moved to Wilmington, Delaware, in 1822, the last city before Philadelphia within a slave state. This made it an ideal location for an Underground Railroad station.
In 1827, Garrett became an officer of the Delaware Abolition Society. Through them, he met William Lloyd Garrison, Harriet Tubman, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and other famous figures. In fact, Garrett is said to have been Beecher Stowe’s inspiration for the abolitionist character in her famous novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Like the book’s character Simeon Halliday, Garrett also did not stand by when he was attacked physically for his beliefs. He fought back and was not afraid to be fined for his actions.
Unlike other Underground Railroad station masters, Garrett did not keep his involvement a secret. However, despite the fact that his activities were illegal, the authorities never arrested him.
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