Actors Equity launches bid for commemorative stamp

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Actors’ Equity has launched a nationwide campaign to become the first union honored with a U.S. postal stamp. The union is petitioning the U.S. Postal Service to issue a stamp commemorating the union’s 100th birthday on May 26, 2013.

Equity is applying for the stamp to spotlight a century of professional theater in America and Equity’s unique contribution to our nation’s art and culture. The process is highly competitive and must begin years in advance.

The postmaster general of the United States, who makes the final decision on which stamps are issued, requires applicants to start the petitioning process at least three years in advance of the proposed issue date.

Equity President Mark Zimmerman says:

We’re very excited about the upcoming centennial and the possibility of a commemorative stamp to celebrate the contribution of professional American actors and stage managers to the history and culture of the United States. Our goal is to sign up at least 10,000 people.

You can join Equity’s campaign for a commemorative stamp by signing a petition . The union also plans to reach out to elected officials and celebrities to endorse the effort to commission a stamp.

Equity negotiates wages and working conditions for its members and provides a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. Over the course of the past 96 years, Equity has stood against segregation in theater audiences and casts, fought the blacklists of the 1950s, banded together to stem the spread of AIDS and combat the proliferation of nonunion touring companies across the country.