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Smithsonian sunburst Smithsonian National Postal Museum
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  • 15c Emily Bissell single
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15c Emily Bissell single

Object Details

Description
Emily Bissell (1861-1948) started the tradition of using Christmas Seals to help fight lung diseases. When Bissell, an active social worker in Wilmington, Delaware, was asked in 1907 to help raise funds for a small facility aiding tuberculosis patients, she began a campaign based on the Danish practice of adding charity stamps to holiday greeting cards. Her efforts were so successful that the campaign was taken nationwide the next year, and Christmas Seals have been used every year since then to raise awareness and funds.
The Emily Bissell stamp was issued in 1980.
mint
Credit line
Copyright United States Postal Service. All rights reserved.
Data Source
National Postal Museum
Date
May 31, 1980
Object number
1999.2004.132
Type
Postage Stamps
Medium
paper; ink (red, black); adhesive /
Place
United States of America
See more items in
National Postal Museum Collection
Title
Scott Catalogue USA 1823
Depicts
Emily Bissell Issue
Topic
Humanitarian Causes
Health & Medicine
Women's Heritage
U.S. Stamps
Record ID
npm_1999.2004.132
Usage
Usage conditions apply
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/hm829ea4c9b-3ac0-4ef9-8795-362b5d0fcf7d
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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HomeSmithsonian National Postal Museum

Visit »

Open daily 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Admission is always free!

2 Massachusetts Ave., N.E.
Washington, DC 20002

The museum's main entrance is located on the corner of First Street and Massachusetts Avenue NE. Other entrances have variable hours.

street map of Postal museum

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