"In early 1991 Paul Jabara in New York created the idea for a global symbol in the fight against AIDS. Jabara co-founded the Red Ribbon Foundation in 1991, and is credited with conceiving and distributing the first AIDS Red Ribbon" (History of Red Ribbon Foundation).

Jean Anne Hlavacek began lobbying for the AIDS Awareness stamp 6 years before it was issued when her best friend's father-in-law died of AIDS. She wrote letters to every member of Congress and got endorsements from many people, including Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, movie star Jimmy Stewart, George Bush, 30 U.S. senators and representatives, and AIDS activists. Then Postmaster General Anthony Frank said the stamp "just wouldn't work." He said "It would be like having a stamp for the homeless--people may be reluctant to purchase and use it" (McMillan, Dennis. "Postmaster General Nixes AIDS Awareness Stamp." Bay Area Reporter vol. 18, no. 47 (11/24/88), p. 4.).

Postmaster General Marvin T. Runyon, who strongly supported the fight against AIDS, finally approved the stamp. On November 24, 1993, USPS issued the AIDS stamp on the day which the American Association for World Health had designated World AIDS Day. 350 million were printed, a number that was much larger than many of the other commemorative stamps issued at that time.

For more information:
glbtq: Symbols

Healey, Barth. "STAMPS; The Red Ribbon Of AIDS Awareness." New York Times (11/28/93), section 9; page 17; column 3.

History of Red Ribbon Foundation

McDade, Phil. "Madisonian Pushes AIDS Stamp." Wisconsin State Journal (9/02/93), Local/Wisconsin p. 1B.

McMillan, Dennis. "Postmaster General Nixes AIDS Awareness Stamp." Bay Area Reporter vol. 18, no. 47 (11/24/88), p. 4.

Schneider, Kim. "AIDS Stamp Reportedly Confirmed." Wisconsin State Journal (12/24/92), Front p. 1A.