Publication 100, The United States - An American History

508-9/6/23-mh

From the Postmaster General

On July 26, 1775, a year before declaring independence from Great Britain, the

Continental Congress appointed Benjamin Franklin the frst American postmaster

general. Our founding fathers knew that a robust, reliable, and secure means of

exchanging information was critical to unify the distant parts of our nation ¡ª and to

maintain unity, once we achieved independence.

Since that time, our universal mail system has strengthened the bonds of friendship,

family, and community. It has encouraged civic discourse, advanced the spread of

information, and enabled the expansion of industry and commerce. And it has continued

to help bind our diverse, far-fung communities into a single nation.

Te United States Postal Service: An American History tells the story of our ever-changing

and improving institution ¡ª from its expanding delivery network, to its growing suite

of services and technological innovations, to its proud legacy of workforce diversity and

service to the American people. I hope you enjoy reading this history of the United States

Postal Service and its contributions to our nation.

Although many things have changed since 1775, the Postal Service¡¯s historic mission

remains the same ¡ª to provide all Americans, in all areas and communities, with access

to prompt, reliable, and efcient services. Tat mission is so essential that it¡¯s written into

federal law and was recently reafrmed by the Postal Service¡¯s Board of Governors.

I am proud and humbled to follow in Benjamin Franklin¡¯s footsteps, to lead this great

organization towards a sustainable future, so it can continue to connect all Americans

and help power the American economy for generations to come.

Sincerely,

Louis DeJoy

Postmaster General

United States Postal Service

Washington, D.C.

Te United States Postal Service: An American History

Publication 100

? 2022 by the United States Postal Service. All rights reserved.

Acknowledgments

Louis DeJoy

Postmaster General and Chief Executive Ofcer

Judy de Torok

Vice President, Corporate Afairs

Jennifer M. Lynch

Historian and Corporate Information Services Manager

Stephen A. Kochersperger

Senior Research Analyst, Postal History

Junemarie J. Brandt

Research Analyst, Postal History

John Sporgitas

Senior Designer, Brand and Policy

Tis book was prepared by the Ofce of the Historian, Corporate Afairs, United States Postal Service.

Te Postal Service thanks all who contributed to this publication, especially Daniel Afzal, Ana D. Cikowski, Hannah C. Close,

Polly J. Gibbs, Brian M. Jarvis, Karen J. Mark, Sara A. Martin, Veronica E. Poe, Francis J. Schultz-Depalo, and the late Megaera Ausman and

Rita Lloyd Moroney.

Image Credits

LOC: Courtesy of the Library of Congress

NPM: Courtesy of the Smithsonian¡¯s National Postal Museum

Front Cover: LOC; 3: NPM; 5: Courtesy Te New York Public Library; 10: Courtesy of the Trustees of the Boston Public Library/Rare

Books, Anti-Slavery collection; 11: NPM; 12: LOC; 14: NPM; 18: LOC; 19, mail wagon: LOC; 20, photo: NPM; 24: LOC, Printed Ephemera

collection; 25: LOC; 26: LOC; 29: LOC; 33: LOC; 34, Van Lew: Virginia Museum of History & Culture; 40: LOC; 62: NPM; 66: LOC; 86,

clockwise from top lef: Diane M. Kinkopf, Tracy A. Seymour, Lee A. Fullar, Hannah C. Close, and Vickie Grimes; 92: Courtesy Kelly M.

Seckar; 95, from lef to right: Jennifer M. Lynch, Melissa A. Medeiros; 97: Courtesy of Bro. Joseph W. Schmitz Special Collections, St. Mary¡¯s

University, San Antonio, Texas; 98: LOC; 99: Courtesy of the Massachusetts Historical Society; 100: Recruitment poster courtesy National

Archives and Records Administration, other images courtesy LOC; 102: from lef to right: Mark Wahl, Mirtha Uriarte; 103: Courtesy

of Curtis Jewell; 106, registry receipt: NPM; 106¨C107, reward circular: Railway Mail Service Library; 112, Benjamin Franklin, George

Washington, and Tomas Jeferson stamps: NPM; 118¨C119: NPM; 120 (top): LOC; 122, pneumatic tube: LOC; 123, Autopeds: LOC; 125,

hovercraf: Courtesy of Tony Kirk; 139: NPM; Outside back gate: LOC.

All other images are from the collection of the United States Postal Service.

The following are among the registered trademarks of the United States Postal Service:

Air Mail, APC, Approved by the Postmaster General, Automated Postal Center, Certifed Mail, City Carrier Uniform (design), Click-NShip, Confrm, Critical Mail, Customized MarketMail, Eagle Logo, Every Door Direct Mail, Express Mail, First-Class Mail, First-Class

Mail International, Forever, Global Forever, gopost, IMb, IMb Tracing, Informed Delivery, Informed Visibility, Intelligent Mail, Mail

Truck (design), Mailbox (design), MERLIN, Metro Post, My , Parcel Post, Parcel Select, PC Postage, PCC, PLANET Code,

Pony Express, Postal Customer Council, Postal Police, PostalOne!, Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail Flat Rate, Priority

Mail Regional Rate, Registered Mail, Reply Rides Free, Seal of the Postal Service, Self-Service Ship and Mail Center & Design, Sonic Eagle

(design), Stamps by Mail, Standard Mail, Te Last Mile, Te Postal Service, United States Post Ofce, United States Postal Inspection

Service, United States Postal Service, United States Postal Service Ofce of Inspector General, U.S. Mail, U.S. Postal, U.S. Postal Service,

USPS, USPS BlueEarth, USPS Change of Address, USPS Delivery Confrmation, USPS Marketing Mail, USPS Mobile, USPS Retail

Ground, USPS Tracking, , ZIP, ZIP+4.

The following are among the trademarks of the United States Postal Service:

Carrier Pickup, First-Class, Mail Truck (design), Mr. ZIP (and design), Next Generation Mailbox, PO Box, Post Ofce, Post Ofce Box,

Postal Service, POSTNET, Signature Confrmation, Stamps by Phone, Stamps Online, Standard Post, US Mail, USPS Connect, USPS

Premium Tracking, Village Post Ofce, ZIP Code.

ISBN 978-0-9630952-5-1

Messenger of Sympathy and Love

Servant of Parted Friends

Consoler of the Lonely

Bond of the Scattered Family

Enlarger of the Common Life

Carrier of News and Knowledge

Instrument of Trade and Industry

Promoter of Mutual Acquaintance

Of Peace and of Goodwill

Among Men and Nations

Inscription on the former Washington, D.C.,

Post Ofce, now home of the Smithsonian's

National Postal Museum

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