Jonrowe Statehood Stamp Photo
On January 3, 2009, the US Postal Service issued the 50th anniversary Alaska Statehood commemorative stamp at a ceremony in Anchorage. Speaking at the ceremony were then-Alaska governor Sarah Palin, US senator Lisa Murkowski and photographer Jeff Schultz.
The photo was made in the Rainy Pass area of the Alaska Range during the 2000 Iditarod on film (not digital). The dog musher is the legendary and well-loved DeeDee Jonrowe. Up until about 2011 a person had to be dead at least five years (one year for a president) to be depicted on a postage stamp. However, the United States postal service has issued stamps featuring living individuals on rare occasions, but the practice is generally avoided.
As part of the above-mentioned commemorative ceremony, Jeff was told that the photo is “Not a picture of Deedee Jonrowe on the Iditarod”, but rather “A picture of an Alaska dog mushing scene”. The post office specifically requested Jeff not mention who the musher was… But of course he purposely let it slip out when explaining the backstory of how he made the photo, and the audience roared with applause that it was Deedee.
In July 2024, Jeff made a number of prints of this stamp photo, had DeeDee Sign and date (7/24) them, Jeff signed and dated (7/2024) them and one of the actual stamps is affixed to the middle of the print. See sample below. These prints are available here in two sizes—8x 12 ($125) and 11×17 ($185).
8×12 prints: $125 11 x 17 prints $185
Price includes shipping to the United States. Sorry no international orders due to postal restrictions.