United States Postal Service creed explained

"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds" is a phrase long associated with the American postal worker. Though not an official creed or motto of the United States Postal Service,[1] the Postal Service does acknowledge it as an informal motto[2] along with a slightly revised version of Charles W. Eliot's poem "The Letter".[3]

The phrase's association with the U.S. Mail originated with its inscription on New York City's James A. Farley Post Office Building, which opened in 1914.[4] The inscription was added to the building by William M. Kendall of the architectural firm of McKim, Mead & White, the building's architects.

The phrase derives from a passage in George Herbert Palmer's translation of Herodotus's Histories, referring to the courier service of the ancient Persian Empire:

This slogan is not a formal commitment, and in fact the USPS may delay mail during bad weather.[5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]

The creed was famously recited by artist Laurie Anderson on her 1981 hit single "O Superman (For Massenet)", which was featured on her debut album Big Science (1982).[12] [13]

External links

Notes and References

  2. Web site: History of the United States Postal Service. Mailbox Near Me. en. 2019-11-07. 2022-03-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20220306203947/https://www.mailboxnearme.net/history-of-usps/. live.
  3. Web site: Postal Service Mission and "Motto". https://web.archive.org/web/20220426224325/https://about.usps.com/who/profile/history/pdf/mission-motto.pdf. 2022-04-26. live. United States Postal Service.
  4. Web site: FAQs . National Postal Museum, Smithsonian Institution. 2011 . 2015-04-18 . 2021-06-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210611205603/https://postalmuseum.si.edu/frequently-asked-questions#history . live .
  5. Web site: Service alerts . Newsroom . . 9 April 2023.
  6. Web site: Delayed mail and packages? . FAQs . . 9 April 2023 . December 2, 2022 . A chart with delivery standards based on the class of mail, when your carrier or mail will arrive, and what to do if mail or periodicals are considered late..
  7. Web site: California - Resident Weather Alerts . Newsroom - About . . 9 April 2023 . March 31, 2023.
  8. Web site: Q&A: Mail Delivery During and After Major Snowstorms . about . . 9 April 2023 . February 8, 2013.
  9. News: Good Question: What Are The Weather Rules When It Comes To Delivering Mail? . 9 April 2023 . . . February 26, 2014.
  10. Web site: USPS says winter weather to blame for recent mail delays in Indy, local union says it's more than that. . February 25, 2021. September 27, 2021. September 27, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210927165335/https://fox59.com/news/usps-says-winter-weather-is-reason-for-recent-mail-delays-in-indy-local-union-says-its-more-than-that/. live.
  11. Web site: . This is our definition of a snow day. ❄️ . . . 9 April 2023 . en.
  12. News: Simpson . Dave . 2016-04-19 . How we made Laurie Anderson's O Superman . en-GB . The Guardian . 2023-12-09 . 0261-3077.
  13. Web site: Laurie Anderson, "O Superman (For Massenet)" . 2023-12-09 . web.ics.purdue.edu . Purdue University.

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