On December 1, 1921, the US Post Office Department opened its Philatelic Agency in Washington, DC, to the benefit of stamp collectors. It became a valuable resource for stamp information and fulfilled requests for stamps – and was sometimes the only place to get certain issues!
Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm was born on November 30, 1924, in New York City. The first Black woman elected to Congress and the first Black woman to seek a major party’s presidential nomination, Chisholm built her career on courage, independence, and a fearless commitment to justice.
On November 29, 1944, the War Department officially adopted the Honorable Discharge Emblem, a small but meaningful symbol worn by millions of service members returning home from World War II. For many veterans, it represented not only their service, but also their safe return after years of sacrifice.
On November 28, 1954, Nobel Prize–winning physicist Enrico Fermi died in Chicago, Illinois. His passing marked the end of the life of one of the most influential scientists of the 20th century—a man whose ideas shaped modern physics and whose work helped usher in the Atomic Age.
On November 27, 1950, the Korean War Battle of Chosin Reservoir began—a fighting withdrawal carried out in brutal subzero cold. What followed was a 17-day struggle for survival, where frozen weapons, relentless attacks, and unbroken determination turned a retreat into one of the Marine Corps’ most storied feats.
On October 10, 1934, eager stamp collectors crowded the mezzanine of Omaha’s Hotel Fontenelle, waiting in line for the chance to buy a brand-new souvenir sheet featuring the majestic granite cliffs of Yosemite National Park. Released to commemorate the Trans-Mississippi Philatelic Exposition, the sheets sold out in less than an hour, leaving many empty-handed but cementing the issue’s place in stamp-collecting history.
On September 1, 1853, the Cape of Good Hope, a British colony at the southern tip of Africa, issued the world’s first triangle stamps. These were also the first adhesive postage stamps issued in Africa.
On August 17, 1923, the US Post Office issued its fifth Airmail stamp, #C5. Picturing the Air Service emblem, it was also the first US…
On March 29, 1985, the USPS issued its first definitive booklet stamp in the larger commemorative size. It was created for use in vending machines and to test the popularity of the format.
On December 1, 1913, Henry Ford introduced his moving assembly line, which revolutionized both his own business and the future of mass production around the world.
On December 1, 1917, first War Savings Stamp available for immediate use, WS1, was issued. In less than two years, more than $1.1 billion in stamps was sold.
On December 1, 1941, the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), was established in Washington, DC. Unpaid volunteers formed the Civil Air Patrol, using privately owned aircraft and their own funds to support the military.
On December 1, 1911, the US Post Office Department issued its first and only Registration stamp. It was used for the prepayment of registry fees, but was often misused and only remained in use for less than two years.
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