1916 Artist: Thomas M. Cleland, 1880-1964 Lithographer: Strobridge Lithographing Company

I came across this posting on the national Red Cross website, and just had to share:

Social worker and Red Cross leader Emily Bissell designed the first Red Cross Christmas Seal in 1907. Bissell hoped the stamps could be sold to raise funds for an experimental tuberculosis (TB) hospital in Wilmington, Delaware.

The stamps were a success—the first supply sold out in two days. The tradition of an annual, nationwide campaign against tuberculosis began. Beautiful stamps were created by many of the nation’s best-known artists and illustrators.

The American Red Cross participated in the Christmas Seal program for the next 12 years, raising more than $15 million to combat tuberculoses, one of the world’s deadliest killers at the time.  

Following 1919 the program was run by the National Tuberculosis Association. Its successor, the American Lung Association, continues an annual Christmas Seals campaign to combat lung diseases such as asthma. 

This holiday season, take a nostalgic tour of the Red Cross Christmas Seal exhibit.