Image For Harvey Milk Stamp Released

Joe My God reports that the design for the long awaited and debated Harvey Milk commemorative forever stamp, was released to the philatelist website Linns.com Monday. The stamp will be released on Harvey Milk Day, May 22.

According to Linns.com, a black-and-white photograph of Harvey Milk will be used for the central design of the forthcoming United States commemorative forever stamp honoring the San Francisco political figure and gay rights activist. The stamp will be issued on Harvey Milk Day, May 22, in a location or locations yet to be determined. Both Washington, D.C., and San Francisco are potential first-day cities. The stamp design includes the pride flag colors as six different color squares stacked vertically in the upper left corner.

The stamp, which is likely to be issued in a pane of 20 will be a non-denominated forever stamp which can be used to mail a one-ounce letter regardless of when the stamp is purchased or used and no matter how prices change in the future.

The Washington Blade reports that while speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi wrote: "Harvey Milk continues to inspire us all to strive for a society that provides unlimited and equal opportunities for all our citizens,[...]The United States Postal Service has yet to honor an LGBT American hero with a stamp, commemorating the life and efforts of Harvey Milk would be a testament to Harvey's courage and a symbol of pride to anyone who has ever felt discrimination or cared about those who have."

Harvey Milk was a California politician who became the first openly gay person to be elected to public office when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. He and then Mayor George Mosconi were assassinated in City Hall by a disgruntled former supervisor.

As reported by EDGE media partner Bay Area Reporter, San Francisco resident Branton Burke, 48, a stamp enthusiast, has created a petition on the White House website asking the postal service "to do the right thing" and schedule the issuance ceremony for Milk's stamp in San Francisco on May 22, which is annually designated Harvey Milk Day in California.

The US Postal Service has yet to officially release the stamp's image and announce the date and location of its release.