© Slovak Post, 2007 Slovak history in America is very long. In the territory of the present United States of America, Slovaks are sporadically recorded from the 17th century. Mass emigration to “America” started after 1880 as a result of unprecedented social and national oppression in the-then Hungary. By 1910, around three quarters of a million of Slovaks had emigrated to the USA (almost one third of the population). In the country's democratic conditions they very quickly achieved both civil and national emancipation and their brotherhood (fraternal) organisations quickly became concerned with the situation of Slovaks in their home country. In order to help their oppressed countrymen, on 26 May 1907 all Slovak brotherhood and cultural organisations in the USA were joined under an umbrella organisation: The Slovak League of America (SLA). This organisation significantly influenced the history of the nation-liberating struggle of the Slovaks during World War I, becoming the voice of the oppressed nation both at home and abroad. The League's programme of the creation of a constitutional state for Slovaks – an equal union with Czechs in one state was realised in 1918, also thanks to the support of funds and volunteers from the Czechoslovak Legions. After 1918, in particular after the programme of Slovak autonomy within the Czechoslovak Republic was not actualised, the significance of the SLA diminished. However, the SLA continued its struggle to make the status of Slovaks equal. In 1970, the SLA was present at the establishment of a new umbrella organisation for Slovaks in the free world – the World Slovak Congress. At present, the SLA represents several fraternal organisations and continues to show keen interest in the life of its countrymen in the old home country. The stamp depicts an artistic interpretation of the original SLA logo which shows the motto: ‘For the Slovak Language’. This stressed the Slovak resistance against the Magyarisation policy of the Hungarian government as the principal tool of oppression of the Slovak nation. The white-blue-red stripes on the stamp represent the national colours of Slovaks, but also their new home of the USA. The first day cover of the issue features the portrait of one of the founders and first Chairman of the SLA, Štefan Furdek, and includes the headings of the two most significant constitutional documents elaborated by the SLA – the Cleveland and Pittsburgh Agreements. The anniversary stamp derives from the current SLA logo Anton Hrnko, Historian