About This Stamp
A 4-cent regular issue postage stamp honoring Carl Schurz was issued in Watertown, Wisconsin, on June 3, 1983. Watertown was selected as the First Day of Issue city because Schurz settled there in 1854, the year that several thousand German immigrants arrived there. In addition, Schurz's wife founded the first kindergarten in the United States there.
Carl Schurz, a German-American political leader, soldier, and writer, immigrated to the United States in 1852. He soon entered politics, playing an important role in influencing the German ethnic sector. Schurz served as minister to Spain under President Lincoln before resigning to join the Union Army during the Civil War. After the war, he was elected U.S. senator from Missouri, helped to organize the Liberal Republican Party, and served as secretary of the interior under President Hayes. Schurz also wrote numerous speeches, newspaper editorials, and magazine articles.
The Carl Schurz stamp was the ninth issue in the Great Americans series. Initiated in 1980, the series had honored Sequoyah, George Mason, Rachel Carson, Dr. Charles Drew, Crazy Horse, Dr. Ralph Bunche, Dr. Robert Millikan, and Igor Stravinsky.
Richard Sparks of Norwalk, Connecticut, designed the stamp. It was printed in the intaglio process and issued in panes of 100. The modeler was Esther Porter, and the engravers were Gary J. Slaght (lettering) and Thomas R. Hipschen (vignette).