On Thursday July 21st, The United States Postal Service will be releasing a “forever” stamp honoring our late founder, humanitarian, and lifelong activist, Pete Seeger! A first-day-of-issue ceremony will be held on Thursday, July 21, at Jane Pickens Theater in Newport, RI in conjunction with the Newport Folk Festival. Pete’s connection with the Newport Folk Festival is both longstanding and far reaching.

As a cofounder of the Newport Folk Festival, the event held a special place in his heart and Pete made it a point to perform every year. In 1968 the Newport Folk Festival Organization gave Clearwater a $10,000 no interest loan, towards the construction of the sloop. Without that loan, construction on the sloop would have not begun later that year. This loan also proved instrumental in Clearwater receiving two larger donations that further solidified plans to begin the project.

We are so excited for the opportunity this postage stamp provides to shed more light on Pete’s life, the causes near and dear to his heart, and his lasting contributions to our world!