Mr. Rogers immortalized by United States Postal Service on 'forever' stamp

The late Fred Rogers would have put his stamp of approval on this honor.

The television icon and host of “Mister Rogers' Neighborhood” was commemorated by the United States Postal Service with the Mister Rogers Forever Stamp on March 23 at the WQED Fred Rogers Studio A in Oakland, where the vast majority of his shows were shot.

“Fred would feel this was a great honor for him,” his wife Joanne Rogers said after the ceremony “It also means a lot to me because my father worked for the postal service. The minute I saw the stamp, I loved it. It just felt right.”

The stamp features Walt Seng's photograph of Rogers in his signature red cardigan and also includes puppet King Friday XIII, a Mister Rogers' Neighborhood character hailing from “The Neighborhood of Make Believe.”

The forever stamp will always be equal to the current first class mail one ounce price.

It is fitting the stamp will live on in memory of a man such as Rogers who would have turned 90 this week, said Megan J. Brennan, postmaster general and chief executive officer for the U.S. Postal Service.

“It is a privilege and an honor to be here,” said Brennan, who handled the official dedication and unveiling. “Fred Rogers was an icon television personality. He taught children, and adults, that it is important to be kind and be understanding. He celebrated individuality and showed us what makes a good neighbor. It is fitting the stamp says both forever and USA because Fred Rogers presents the very best of America, and will do so always.”

This is such a special day, because Fred Rogers, truly was America's favorite neighbor, said Rick Sebak, WQED Multimedia producer was emcee.

The late Mister Rogers was known as a beloved television neighbor to generations of children. His groundbreaking public television series “Mister Rogers' Neighborhood” inspired and educated young viewers in warmth, sensitivity and honesty.

Filmed in Pittsburgh and first distributed nationally in 1968 by a predecessor of the Public Broadcasting Service, the program was innovative and unlike anything on television at that time.

Each episode began with its host welcoming the audience into his television house. While singing “Won't You Be My Neighbor?” Rogers always put on his trademark cardigan, changed into sneakers and then introduced the day's topic.

He discussed many of the experiences of growing up, delicately covering everything from sharing and friendship to difficult subjects like anger, fear and divorce.

How great would the world be today if everyone thought like Fred Rogers, said Jim Cunningham, WQED-FM artistic director.

“I encourage everyone to put a Fred Rogers stamp on a letter or card and mail it to someone you love,” said Cunningham.

Rogers loved to write and receive mail and did his best to answer every correspondence — more than 4,000 a year — said Paul Siefken, president and CEO of The Fred Rogers Company. “He said the words connected him with the real neighbors who watched him every day.”

Followers of the U.S. Postal Service's Facebook page were able to view the ceremony live at facebook.com/USPS, where it will be archived.

Customers have 120 days to obtain a first-day-of-issue postmarks by mail. See usps.com for details.

Also in conjunction with the stamp unveiling, the Pittsburgh International Airport honored the 50-year-legacy of Rogers with activities for employees and travelers in the terminal the same day.

At the airport, employees wore red cardigan sweaters and buttons, and travelers were invited to share their memories of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood on a large chalkboard in the Airside Terminal Center Core. Refreshments and giveaways including red shoelaces were offered.

Siefken recorded a special message for arriving and departing passengers on the airport train. There is also a permanent exhibit devoted to Mister Rogers containing original shoes and a sweater in Concourse C, just outside Kidsport.

JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at 724-853-5062 or jharrop@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Jharrop_Trib.