MSU professor’s artwork is featured on U.S. stamp

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – A Mississippi State University professor’s artwork could end up in your mailbox.

Alex Bostic is an art professor at MSU. The United States Postal Service commissioned him to do the artwork for its Edmonia Lewis Commemorative Forever stamp, the 45th in the Black Heritage Series. Lewis was the first African American and Native American sculptor to achieve international recognition.

Bostic says it was an honor to pay tribute to her work.

“To do another artist that wasn’t recognized in her time. But I got to see some of her work. You would swear Michelangelo did it. That how good she was,” he said.

Creating this artwork for a postage stamp has special significance for Bostic. He says attending the unveiling of the stamp was truly a full circle moment for him.

“During the ceremony, I wore my mother’s post office sweater. My mother worked for the post office for over 30 years. And that paid for me to be an artist and go to school and all that stuff. So, I paid homage to my mom, Evelyn Bostic.”

And now Bostic is putting his stamp on history – literally.

“This is like forever. As long as you go to the post office, you ask for the Leomonia Lewis stamp, they’ll hand it to you. And I’ll be way gone while this is going on as long as people are mailing letters,” he said.

The Edmonia Lewis Forever stamp is available now at your local post office.