A stamp honoring former first lady Nancy Reagan was dedicated at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, CA, on July 6 — what would have been her 101st birthday.
“As a first lady of both California and the nation, she built a legacy of public service throughout her eventful life,” said Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, one of several people on hand to dedicate the stamp.
“Whether she was giving voice to the needs of America’s Vietnam veterans, promoting foster grandparent programs or raising visibility for important health issues, she was a passionate and effective public advocate for a wide range of causes close to her heart.”
Joining the postmaster general for the ceremony were Dennis Revell, Nancy Reagan’s son-in-law; Ann B. Wrobleski, who worked on Reagan’s Just Say No anti-drug program; Pete Wilson, former governor of California and a board member of the Reagan library and museum; and John Heubusch, executive director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute.
“It’s fitting that this fiercely vigilant and politically astute first lady, who left her stamp on one of the most consequential presidencies of the 20th century, should now be celebrated and commemorated on a Forever stamp of her own,” Revell said.
The stamp’s image is a detail taken from Reagan’s official 1987 White House portrait, an oil-on-canvas work by artist Aaron Shikler. Greg Breeding was the art director.
It shows Reagan (1921-2016) clad in a flowing gown of bright red, her signature color.
“To honor her in this way on what would have been her 101st birthday is a way for Americans to remember her lasting legacy of service,” Wilson said.
The Forever stamp is being issued in panes of 20 and is available at Post Offices and usps.com.
The Postal Service’s July 6 news release has more information. A feature story about the stamp can be viewed at Facebook.com/usps.
