In May, we announced the 2024 Postcard Project with the goal to receive postcards from every state and as many countries as possibly by Labor Day.
Since then, we have 35 postcards from a dozen states and 11 different countries — not counting the eight vintage postcards Carrie Bartlett from New Orleans sent. Her postcards, mainly from the 1960s, were sent from friends and families on big trips to various corners of the earth.
Additionally, we've received one postcard from a mystery location, as it's written on the short end of a Kleenex box and sent from someone who says he likes to send postcards that make a point.
Photo of makeshift postcard, created by a haphazard cutting of the end of a Kleenex box. The sender says he started making his own postcards out of a variety of materials because he was frustrated that more postcards were not available.
"Just a note to tell you, I make postcards out of everything because I couldn't find them when we went on vacation. Love postcards!" Signed "Michael G."
Michael G.'s end-of-a-Kleenex box is a first in the three-summer history of our Postcard Project.
In 2022, we reached all 50 states and 18 countries, and our summer intern Bella Dardono created an interactive map that linked photos of received postcards to sites from where they were sent all over the globe. In 2023, it was 50 states and 22 countries. Intern Jayden Nguyen had fun tallying up the hundreds of postcards that reached us last year.
1964 postcard of Trafalgar Square and Nelson's Column in London
There's a certain magic in postcards. Help us keep the magic alive by sending postcards to Jan Risher, The Advocate, 10705 Rieger Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70809.
The 2024 Postcard Project will end Labor Day weekend.