They get it for either playing the race card (or religion card) or having some good-hearted or connivers play it for 'em.
You know who was a great man? DALE CARNEGIE.
He is not on a stamp. He was a great American success story. After failing in a variety of professions, and having little success with a biography of his beloved Abraham Lincoln, salesman Carnegie built up ADULT EDUCATION in America.
He ran schools that taught USEFUL SKILLS like conquering a fear of PUBLIC SPEAKING. On HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE. And HOW TO STOP WORRYING.
He personally taught students, autographed copies of his books as prizes for the best students, and INFLUENCED THE LIVES OF THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of people for the better.
He is not on a stamp.
What did GREGORY HINES ever do? THIS guy?
Do most people know this guy by name?
Did he pioneer anything? Nope. He COPIED earlier black performers for not-very-influential movies such as "Cotton Club" and "Bojangles." Ooh, he had a bit part in a Mel Brooks movie. I think more people remember Cleavon Little in "Blazing Saddles." Don't they?
Hines, who did not invent TAP DANCING, but only helped this pernicious and annoying form of choreography to stagger toward the end of the 20th Century, was in some Broadway shows.
As we all know, Broadway shows are seen by a tiny percentage of people, compared to movies and TV shows. How many saw this guy in "Eubie" (yet another Retro show calling attention to a black artist who WAS a pioneer), or "Comin' Uptown" or "Sophisticated Ladies" or "Jelly's Last Jam" (yet another...) Fact is, he seemed to be called on to impersonate actually famous people, and do the tap dances that, in the 60's, enraged guys like Malcolm X who felt that kind of shit was Negro shuck and jive nonsense to get pennies thrown by Whiteys.
Gregory was nominated five times for Tony Awards and won once. You know for which show? OF COURSE YOU DON'T.
Because GREGORY HINES does not matter. Or, to be kind, his enduring legacy is...not much.
You know who is better remembered?
DOOLEY WILSON. He played Sam in "Casablanca," and it was a role that didn't call for tap dancing or stereotype dialogue. Everybody remembers Sam as Rick's best friend from Paris to Casablanca and back. No stamp for Dooley Wilson?
Brother Gregory Hines but not...BROTHER GREG?
That would be DICK GREGORY. Here's a man who wrote some damn controversial and daring books.
He wrote NIGGER. Asked about the title, he said, "If somebody calls me that, they are promoting my book."
Oooooooh, he had a SENSE OF HUMOR. A pioneer stand-up comic. Many record albums. Worked almost to the end. Don't put somebody on a stamp for THAT.
Better for TAP DANCING.
You know who else had a sense of humor? GODFREY CAMBRIDGE. Godfrey was another pioneering black comedian who covered racial issues, but did it in a way that didn't alienate white audiences. He was a fine actor, a much better actor than Gregory Hines. He starred in "Watermelon Man." Starred on stage, too. No stamp for him. Flip Wilson? No.
When I was a kid, my favorite group was THE COASTERS. I'm pretty sure they're all dead now. Where's the STAMP?
You're gonna tell me that more people know GREGORY HINES than know "Fee Fi Fo Fum, I smell smoke in the auditorium?" "Charlie Brown...he's a clown..." "Yakety yak! DON'T TALK BACK!" "Poison Ivy...LORD'LL MAKE YOU ITCH.." "Along Came Jones..."
Well, I suppose we can be thankful that Lena Horne got on a stamp. I used to see her in one of the local gourmet stores. I was so tempted to do a LUCY and ask her to sign a grapefruit or something. Instead, I wrote to her, mentioned spotting her, and asked if she'd sign the enclosed CD booklet. I was impressed with one of her later albums when, like Peggy Lee, she was making that crossover from "American Songbook" stuff to Lennon-McCartney and other contemporary songwriters.
Now that postage is going up to 55 cents from 50 cents (Gregory seems to be the first to go for 55) I stocked up on Lena. I also got a few sheets of John Lennon and, for sending in tax payments and other things like that, a sheet of SHARK stamps.
But I digress.
There are many more worthy Black writers, athletes and entertainers who have made more of an impression than Gregory Hines. You can name a few, can't you?
I'll give you one that you might not know of. BERT WILLIAMS.
Ever heard of him? One reason to put somebody on a stamp is to call attention to someone deserving. Most people took a look at Madame C.J. Walker's stamp and thought, "WHO?" She was America's first black millionaire. And A. Phillip Randolph? Paul Laurence Dunbar? Bessie Coleman? These are not names most people know, but they should be known, and not just to black kids in a schoolroom. Anyone. See somebody's face on a stamp, and you just might at least Google 'em and learn something. So they are all on stamps, along with more obvious black choices such as Harriet Tubman, Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday. How long ago did James Baldwin get on a stamp? The price was 37 cents.
BERT WILLIAMS was one of the giants of vaudeville. He was admired by W.C. Fields and Eddie Cantor, who were both in Ziegfeld Follies shows with him. Bert's hit song "Nobody" is still poignant to hear. He should've been on a stamp well before Gregory Hines. You know who didn't headline in the Ziegfeld Follies? TAP DANCERS.
Sammy Davis Jr. got in ahead of Gregory, at least. Davis could dance, but also sing, act, and do impressions. He didn't just impersonate older historical black figures. And, unlike Gregory Hines, Sammy is so well known around the world, he's also on a stamp...in TANZANIA.
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