MIAMI DADE COLLEGE’S NORTH CAMPUS HOSTS UNVEILING OF THE NEWEST U.S. POSTAL SERVICE HISPANIC HERITAGE STAMP
MIAMI, Sept. 25, 2007 – In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the United States Postal Service unveiled its newest stamp, Méndez v. Westminster School District, at Miami Dade College’s (MDC) North Campus.
“As the North Campus prepares to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, one is reminded of the countless contributions Hispanic Americans have made to our nation in all areas of life,” MDC North Campus President Dr. José Vicente said during a ceremony held at the North Campus on Monday, Sept. 24.
Méndez v. Westminster is a historically influential case that forever changed the scholastic landscape of America. The new stamp commemorates the 60th anniversary of the landmark case that successfully desegregated all California public schools and became a legal precedent for broader decisions involving segregation nationwide.
“The Mendez case represented another successful challenge to the decades-old "separate but equal" doctrine in public school education,” added Dr. Vicente. ”Mendez is the Hispanic version of Brown v. Board of Education, which paved the way for integration and the Civil Rights Movement.”
The stamp, a colorful illustration, was created by artist Rafael Lopez, a native of Mexico City, and integrates the look of Mexican murals with the idea of looking forward toward the light. It depicts two school children reading a book as a ray from the sun beams down on them. It is accompanied by the words: “Toward Equity In Our Schools”.
“We are very proud and happy to be able to present this stamp to Dr. Vicente and MDC’s North Campus, “said Miami Postmaster Jesus Galvez.
The Méndez v. Westminster School District stamp, as well as other commemorative products, are available at the United States Postal Store website at www.usps.com/shop or by telephone at 1-800-STAMP-24 and at local post offices.
Media contacts: Manolo Barco, 305-237-3081, mbarco@mdc.edu; Beverly C. Rodrigues, MDC director of media relations, 305-237-3949, brodrigu@mdc.edu or Juan Mendieta, MDC director of communications, 305-237-7611.