Thursday, February 02, 2012

Stamp honours iconic Alberta cowboy John Ware

Canada Post is recognizing an iconic cowboy and pioneer rancher John Ware with a commemorative stamp. It’s one of two stamps issued to celebrate Black History Month. The other one is a tribute to Viola Desmond, a civil rights beacon in Nova Scotia. “(John Ware’s) name has come up several times,” said Joy Parks, a researcher with Canada Post. “When we delved into the story a little bit more, and found the connection to the Stampede, it was just the perfect year to do this with the centennial this year.” Ware was born into slavery in South Carolina circa 1845, working cotton fields as a child. He was freed following the American Civil War and eventually made his way to the foothills of Alberta in 1882. He established a ranch and started competing as a steer wrestler, winning the event at the 1893 Calgary Fair. Ware helped pioneer rodeo techniques that would become staples of the Stampede. When he died in 1905, Ware’s funeral was one of the biggest Calgary had ever seen. Significantly, the stamp of Ware, designed by Victoria-based artist Lara Minja, contains an image of the deed to his land. “He hadn’t been a free man for very long, and to own land as a free man is definitely a milestone in his life,” Parks said...more

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