[press release]
“Newcomer” Wins AFDCS Writing Award

The American First Day Cover Society’s Philip H. Ward, Jr., Memorial Award for Excellence in First Day Cover Literature published in 2020 was given to Kris McIntosh (right) for her article “The Fight for the Women’s Right to Vote,” which appeared in the October 2020 issue of The American Philatelist. It is her first Ward Award.

Second place went to “Al Fluegel and the Missing ‘68s” by Steven Altman, which was published in the May-June 2020 issue of First Days and the June 2020 edition of The U.S. Specialist. This was also the first time Altman has been cited by the Ward Award committee.

Ken Lawrence won third place with an article in the January 20, 2020, issue of Linn’s Stamp News, “Freda Dickie Weaver, Multi-Talented First Day Cover Cachet Artist.” He previously won the Ward in 1996 and 2019, and shared it with other authors in 1989.

A complete list of past winners can be found on the AFDCS website.

All articles published in First Days, the official journal of the AFDCS, are automatically considered for the Ward Award. Other articles and publications may be submitted for consideration.

Philip Henry Ward, Jr., began servicing first day covers in 1909. Although an electrical engineer by trade, he wrote on new issues for The American Philatelist, Mekeel’s Weekly Stamp News and The Weekly Philatelic Gazette in the early 20th century.

The American First Day Cover Society is a not-for-profit educational organization. In addition to First Days, the AFDCS also publishes handbooks and catalogues, and promotes the collecting of both modern and “classic” issues and cachets, as well as exhibiting FDCs. It offers awards for outstanding first day cover exhibits and an annual contest for cachetmakers, and is a co-host of the annual Great American Stamp Show.

For more information about the AFDCS, visit www.afdcs.org, e-mail afdcs@afdcs.org or write the AFDCS at Post Office Box 246, Colonial Beach, VA 22443-0246.