Nearly 50 years after civil rights pioneer James L. Farmer Jr. organized the Freedom Rides that led to desegregated bus terminals throughout the South, the University of Mary Washington has teamed with Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) to call for a commemorative U.S. postage stamp to honor the late Farmer.
“Dr. Farmer holds a place of special honor here at the University of Mary Washington, a Virginia public university where he taught classes for more than a decade as Commonwealth Professor of History,” said UMW President Richard V. Hurley. “Countless Mary Washington students were enlightened and enriched by his vivid, firsthand accounts of personal sacrifice and courage within the civil rights struggles of the 1960s. I’m asking all our students, alumni and friends to join us in support of this joint proposal,” Hurley said.
In a letter sent Sept. 24 to all members of the U.S. House of Representatives, Lewis encouraged his colleagues to join him in asking the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee to issue a commemorative stamp in Farmer’s honor, saying in part, “As one of our country’s original architects of the Civil Rights movement, Dr. Farmer dedicated his life to the ideals of equality and justice.” Lewis, himself a celebrated civil rights figure, was among the Freedom Riders who withstood beatings and mob attacks.
Farmer, along with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Whitney Young and Roy Wilkins, constituted what many call the “Big Four” of the civil rights movement. Farmer helped lead citizens, students, and activists of all races and backgrounds to use civil disobedience to challenge and change the racist attitudes and practices of a country segregated by color.
Farmer is the only member of the Big Four not yet honored by a U.S. postage stamp.
Anyone wishing to join this campaign may sign an online petition at http://jamesfarmer.umw.edu
or may sign Representative Lewis’s letter of support by contacting his Washington office at (202) 225-3801.
“To me and to the many who marched with him in the 1950s and ‘60s, Dr. Farmer’s character and fortitude are well known. As a partner to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Roy Wilkins and many others, he helped bring us from segregated water fountains and lunch counters to a nation where opportunity and equality are more available for all,” said Rep. Lewis.
“Here at UMW, we firmly believe that the life and accomplishments of James Farmer far exceed the U.S. Postal Service requirements governing the honor of a commemorative stamp. Our current students, our faculty and staff, and our alumni—particularly those who were so fortunate to have experienced Dr. Farmer’s classes—are uniformly committed to this cause,” said Hurley.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to raise the visibility of Dr. Farmer and his many contributions. With his bust prominently displayed on campus, our James Farmer Multicultural Center, and the many events we have planned in the coming year to commemorate his role in the Freedom Rides, we would like for everyone to recognize his service to our country and the vision he promoted while at Mary Washington and throughout his lifetime,” Hurley said.
Farmer retired from Mary Washington as Distinguished Professor of History and American Studies in 1998, and that year he was recognized by President William J. Clinton with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. On July 9, 1999, Dr. Farmer died at Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg.