Bicentennial

Giuseppe Garibaldi

1807-1882

Eroe Dei Due Mondi

Premier Freemason of Italy

To celebrate the bicentennial of the birth of Brother Giuseppe Garibaldi, -il primo massone d-italia (declared the Premier Mason of Italy by the Grand Orient of Italy) who was an Italian patriot, hero of the Risorgimento and charismatic soldier for liberty and justice, our Harry S. Truman Lodge Brother Ted H. Jacobsen designed and produced a personalized U.S. Postal Service stamp and special envelope (cachet), authorized by the Masonic Stamp Club of New York.

Brother Jacobsen met with Anita Garibaldi, the great granddaughter of Giuseppe, when she lectured several months ago at the Garibaldi-Meucci Museum on Staten Island and at the Istituto Italiano di Cultura in Manhattan, at which time she literally signed off on the design with her autograph.

The stamp was inaugurated on July 4, the date of Garibaldis birth, with the help of the postmistress, Judy Riley (a former Job's Daughters Queen, whose father was a Mason), in the only city in North and Central America to be named after this Hero of Two Worlds (Eroe dei due Mondi), Garibaldi, Oregon, a picturesque fishing and tourist city on the Pacific Coast, not too different from Nizza where Garibaldi was born in 1807, then part of the Savoy Kingdom of Sardinia, but today known as Nice, France.

There is a Garibaldi city in Brazil, where Giuseppe spent nearly a decade fighting with the separatist movement in the Rio Grande do Sul State and where he met his beloved Anita who fought by his side.

There is another Garibaldi in Uruguay where he next went to help maintain its independence and liberty on land and sea.

It was in South America where his worldwide fame and legendary popularity began and, later, sustained and magnified by helping to unify Italy.

Because the New York City Italian Heritage and Culture Month Committee is honoring Giuseppe Garibaldi this year, the 200^th Anniversary of his birth, Brother Ted Jacobsen offered IHCC President and Chairman Joseph Sciame his stamp and cacheted envelope to be used in their events.
On Saturday, July 21, 2007 at the Garibaldi-Meucci Museum on Staten Island, a special Garibaldi lecture was arranged by its director Emily Gear.& (Garibaldi had come to Staten Island after the death of his wife Anita.) Dr. Frank Alduino, professor at Anne Arundel Community College (AACC), Maryland, detailed the life of Giuseppe Garibaldi.

Professor Frank Alduino delivering his Garibaldi lecture on the lawn of the Museum.

Behind Dr. Alduino is the very kiln Garibaldi and Meucci used to make their candles, right next to the home that is now the Museum.

Thanks to the ebullient energy of Brian Michaelson at the St. George Post Office (Staten Island) and Joyce Oliver, also of the USPS, a special cancellation was developed to mark the occasion, developed from a design by Brother Jacobsen.

Special thanks and appreciation are extended to The Masonic Philatelist of the Masonic Stamp Club of New York and its President and Editor Dr. Allan Boudreau, and to Robert Domingue, editor of The Philatelic Freemason the Journal of the Masonic Study Unit of the American Topical Association for giving Brother Ted H. Jacobsen's Garibaldi stamp worldwide recognition.

Some additional photographs from the

Garibaldi-Meucci Museum event of the

New York City Italian Heritage and Culture Committee

July 21, 2007

Emily Gear, curator/director of the Garibaldi-Meucci Museum, kicked off the days event with a few remarks.

City Councilmember Anthony Avella and the Museums

President & CEO John Dabbene stand on right waiting to give greetings.

Click picture for map to Museum

Brother Ted H. Jacobsen spoke about his passion and dedication to Giuseppe Garibaldi and Freemasonry.

Brian Michaelson,USPS Customer Relations St. George Post Office, Staten Island, had some emotionally expressive words to say about the stamp and Garibaldi.

The ceremonial cancellation.

TOP ROW, L to R:Council Member Anthony Avella; John Dabbene (Museum President/CEO);

Bob Necci (Museum Chairman); Ted H. Jacobsen (stamp and cachet designer); and Brian Michaelson (Customer Relations Coordinator, USPS).

BOTTOM ROW, holding the special event cancellation stamp and cover,

L to R: Diane Kent (USPS); Alice Parker (USPS); and Emily Gear (Museum Curator/Director).

At Historic Site plaque, L-R,, Prof. Nicholas Spilotro, stamp designer Ted H.Jacobsen, and playwright/critic Mario Fratti (Broadway's musical Nine, based on Fellini's film 8 1/2).