Mary Church Terrell & Mary White Ovington (Sheet of six stamps sold together)

Mary Church Terrell and Mary White Ovington were two influential figures in the Civil Rights Movement who worked tirelessly for racial equality and social justice.

Mary Church Terrell was born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1863, and was the daughter of former slaves who had become prosperous businesspeople. She attended Oberlin College, where she was one of the first African American women to earn a bachelor’s degree. Terrell was a founding member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and worked to end discrimination against African Americans in education, housing, and employment. She was also a vocal advocate for women’s suffrage, and was one of the few women of color invited to participate in the 1913 Women’s Suffrage Parade in Washington, D.C.

Mary White Ovington was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1865, and was a descendant of a prominent abolitionist family. She became involved in the fight for racial justice as a young woman, and was one of the white founding members of the NAACP. Ovington worked as a journalist and social worker, and used her writing to raise awareness about the struggles of African Americans. She also worked to end segregation in housing and employment, and was an active supporter of the Harlem Renaissance.

In 2009, the United States Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp featuring the portraits of Mary Church Terrell and Mary White Ovington, honoring their contributions to the Civil Rights Movement and their tireless work to make America a more just and equal society.