JESSE OWENS 1998 USPS 'CELEBRATE THE CENTURY' STAMP PROCLAMATION SIGNED BY MAYOR OF CHICAGO PLUS JESSE OWENS 25 CENT STAMP ISSUED CIRCA 1988 (OWENS ESTATE COLLECTION)

In 1998 the U.S. Postal Service commissioned a set of stamps entitled “Celebrate the Century.” Due to his outstanding achievements at the 1936 Olympic Games, Jesse Owens was chosen to represent the 1930’s. The official unveiling was done in Chicago, the city Owens called home after his return from the Berlin Games. Two ceremonies were held, one at Grant Park on September 12, 1998, and the other at Jesse Owens Park the following day. To commemorate the day, a special Proclamation was issued by then mayor Richard M. Daley. The certificate, encased in a blue presentation folder, bares the signature of the mayor beneath a one-page biography of the Olympian. This lot also includes a 8" x 8" program from the Jesse Owens Park unveiling and a 1988 25-cent stamp issued to commemorate the great athlete. A grouping that demonstrates the enduring legacy of Jesse Owens decades after he passed away.

Includes LOA signed by each of Jesse Owens' three daughters.