This week, the U.S. Postal Serviceunveiled several new stamps to be introduced in the new year. One honors Katharine Graham, who served as chairman and CEO of the Washington Post Co. In the 1970s and led the publishing of the Pentagon Papers, which uncovered critical secret government documents about the Vietnam War. After taking over the company following her husband’s death, she became the first woman to lead a Coins2Day 500 company.
The USPS referred to Graham as a “pivotal figure during turbulent moments in American history.” Known for her bold decisions, Graham’s publishing of the Pentagon Papers was a historic turning point for the Vietnam War and ultimately led to the Watergate scandal. During her tenure, the Post went public on the New York Stock Exchange and increased revenue by almost 20-fold. Warren Buffett once said that Graham saved the country in her role as publisher.
Graham’s is the 17th stamp in the Distinguished Americans series, which pays homage to trailblazers, pioneers, and other prominent figures in American history. Her stamp joins the ranks of physician Jonas Salk, abolitionist Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Olympic athlete Wilma Rudolph. It was designed by Derry Noyes with original art by Lynn Stanley.
The new stamp is “a wonderful recognition for a woman who led the way for other women in business and was a champion for the power of information,” Katharine Weymouth, Graham’s granddaughter, told the Washington Post.
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