A United States Postal Service stamp commemorating Justice Louis D. Brandeis was revealed by Boston Postmaster James J. Holland at a dedication ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 24.

The ceremony took place at the base of the on-campus statue of Justice Brandeis and included short speeches by University President Jehuda Reinharz, Holland and Brandeis' grandson, Frank Brandeis Gilbert. William Bowen, the "singing postman" who works in the Brandeis post office and performs in the greater Boston area, closed the event with a song in honor of the stamp dedication, "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter."

The Brandeis stamp is one of the four stamps in the the 2009 Commemorative Stamp Program featuring former U.S. Supreme Court justices. Also featured are Felix Frankfurter, William J. Brennan Jr. and

Joseph Story.

Louis D. Brandeis was the first Jewish Supreme Court justice and served from 1916 to 1939.

He was a public opponent of corruption, monopolies and powerful corporations and supported individual rights to free speech and privacy. Justice Brandeis was also an active proponent for the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine and was active in the Federation of American Zionists, according to the

University Web site.

The stamp ceremony, sponsored by The Louis D. Brandeis Legacy Fund for Social Justice, was the first part of the "Brandeis Celebrates Brandeis" salute intended to pay tribute to Justice Brandeis' life and achievements. The event series also includes a "Meet the Author" program Sept. 29, which featured Melvin Urofsky, author of the biography Louis D. Brandeis: A Life.

In his speech, Reinharz stressed the ways in which Justice Brandeis personified the University's four pillars: dedication to academic excellence, nonsectarianism, commitment to social justice and a relationship with the Jewish community.

"Anyone who doubts that a single man can have a real impact on an entire culture and an entire people should really examine Louis Brandeis' career," said Reinharz in

his speech.

Reinharz stressed Brandeis' open mindedness. "He was a nonelitist who sat in one of the most elite seats in this country," Reinharz said. He also spoke about Brandeis' advocacy for the rights of individuals against corporations and expansive

government.

Holland spoke about Brandeis' contributions to the judicial system and to legal thought in the U.S.

"Brandeis was a progressive and champion of reform who devoted his life to social justice," Holland said in his speech. "He was the associate justice most responsible for helping the Supreme Court shape the tools it needed to interpret the Constitution."

Gilbert spoke about the role of the University in carrying on Justice Brandeis' commitment to social justice. "[He] had faith in the future, and that faith is carried on in the school named for him," Gilbert said.

"It was wonderful to honor Justice Brandeis, who is our namesake and who stands for our four pillars," Reinharz told the Justice in an interview after the ceremony. He continued, "It was also very nice to have his grandchildren here."

"I'm so pleased the ceremony took place at Brandeis University, because this place is very close to the heart of our family," Gilbert told the Justice.