5 NC congressmen want stamp for John Hope Franklin

RALEIGH, NC (AP) — Five North Carolina congressmen are among those calling for a stamp to honor the life of John Hope Franklin, the famous African-American historian who taught at Duke University.

Democratic Reps. Brad Miller, G.K. Butterfield, Mike McIntyre, David Price and Melvin Watt signed the letter to the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee.

In 1995, Franklin received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. He led President Clinton’s Initiative on Race in 1997. His book, “From Slavery to Freedom: A History of African Americans” is considered the definitive account of being black in the United States.

He died in March 2009.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)