American Dream

We celebrate Independence Day with quiet determination this year as we continue the fight for everyone's freedom

This strip of four 13-cent stamps picturing the signing of the Declaration of Independence was issued at the bicentennial in 1976. It reproduces a painting by John Trumbull that hangs in the U.S. Capitol rotunda. But its depiction of freedom depends on hiding the fact that many of these men owned at least one Black soul, and several, like Thomasa Jeffer…