The United States Postal Service is kicking off Black History Month by releasing a Forever stamp featuring late journalist Gwen Ifill.
The stamp features a portrait of Ifill taken by photographer Robert Severi in 2008, as reported by NPR.
The photo shows a smiling and impeccably dressed Ifill in a blue blazer. The stamp is the 43rd addition to the postal service’s Black Heritage collection.
“Gwen Ifill was a remarkable trailblazer who broke through gender and racial barriers,” said Deputy Postmaster General Ronald A. Stroman during the stamp’s dedication ceremony on Thursday, per WBIW. “The Postal Service is proud to celebrate Gwen’s contribution as a remarkable journalist with this beautiful commemorative Forever stamp. Gwen was truly a national treasure, and so richly deserving of today’s honor.”
Ifill started her journalism career in 1977 with The Boston Herald American. She went on to work for several outlets including The Washington Post, The New York Times and Baltimore Evening Sun. In 1994, she transitioned to broadcast journalism when she began covering politics for NBC. During her career, she covered Bill Clinton’s first presidential campaign and moderated two vice-presidential debates, one in 2004 between Dick Cheney and John Edwards and another between Joe Biden and Sarah Palin in 2008, according to People Magazine.
Ifill died in 2016 at the age of 61 following a battle with cancer. Ifill’s family is excited about the tribute to their loved one.
“The Ifill family is thrilled that our sister, cousin, and aunt has received this signal tribute to her legacy as a truth-teller, pioneer and exemplar,” said Bert Ifill, her brother and family spokesperson at the dedication ceremony. “As a reporter and moderator, Gwen was dedicated to two principles: getting the story right and getting the right stories out. As a mentor, supportive friend, and family member, she was determined, not only to open doors for those of us previously locked out of opportunity but also to provide floor plans to help us find our way through. She is forever in our hearts, and we are forever in her debt.”
Sherrilyn Ifill, her cousin and president of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, called it a “dream come true.”
The stamp was released on Thursday and is available for purchase.
