Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee
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The United States Postal Service's Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC) is a committee whose purpose is to evaluate potential subjects for U.S. postage stamps, stamped post cards and postal stationery.
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[edit] Purpose
The vast majority of all U.S. postage subjects are proposed by the public, and the CSAC was formed in 1957 to review the thousands of requests submitted each year. The committee is charged with evaluating subjects to ensure they will be of an enduring interest to large segments of the American population.
Prior to 1957, there were concerns that politics were playing too large a role in choosing stamps. The CSAC was created to solve that problem. However, the huge number of proposals every year means that any one suggestion has a very slim chance of actually becoming a stamp. The CSAC claims to give every proposal its due consideration, but professional lobbying, letter-writing campaigns, petitions and appeals to influential politicians are frequently used to improve a subject's chance.
[edit] Members and workings
The CSAC is composed of twelve to fifteen members who are appointed by the Postmaster General and meet four times a year in Washington, D.C. Members are appointed because of their expertise in education, art, history or other professional areas such as design.
At each meeting, every submission received since the last meeting is reviewed. If a subject is not in violation of the selection guidelines, it is researched and presented at the next meeting. The committee's non-binding recommendations are then forwarded to the Postmaster General for approval. Once subjects are finalized, the CSAC then reviews the proposed artwork and design. Because of the lengthy review and design process, the public is advised to submit their ideas three years before the expected date of issue.
[edit] Selection guidelines
The CSAC uses the following guidelines to evaluate subjects:
- Subjects must be interesting and/or educational.
- Subjects must have national significance and appeal.
- Americans and America-related subjects are highly preferred.
- A person cannot be featured sooner than 10 years after their death, and then only on the anniversary of their birth. An exception is made for deceased U.S. Presidents, who may be featured on the first birth anniversary after their death.
- Historical events and Statehood anniversaries are considered only for anniversaries which are multiples of 50 years.
- Several subjects are ineligible to be featured on stamps:
- Fraternal, political, sectarian, service or charitable organizations.
- Any political division smaller than a state (e.g. town or city).
- Commercial enterprises or products. This guideline may be waived when a commercial entity is illustrative of cultural trends.
- Primary or secondary schools. (Universities and colleges are eligible only for stamped post cards and then only on the 200th anniversary of their establishment).
- Hospitals or libraries.
- Religious institutions and people whose primary notability is related to religion.
- Themes which have been previously featured in the last 50 years, except for national symbols and holidays.
