General francis marion stamp club

Stamp collecting began to emerge from obscurity in America after the Civil War, and by the 1880s philatelic societies were being formed to connect collectors, and to legitimize and publicize the hobby.

The American Philatelic Association was formed in 1886.^[1] Other national, regional, and local clubs followed during the late nineteenth and into the twentieth centuries. Most of these societies were dominated by white men of financial means, and some actively excluded women and persons of color, though newer and more local clubs formed in the early twentieth century were often more welcoming.^[1]

By the middle of the twentieth century, hundreds of stamp clubs had formed throughout the United States, often affiliated with large organizations, such as the American Philatelic Society or the American Topical Association.

Many published their own scholarly articles or journals, while others advertised