Mary Katharine Goddard was a pioneering American printer, publisher, and public official whose work placed her at the center of Revolutionary-era political communication. Born in 1738 in New London, Connecticut, Goddard learned the printing trade alongside her brother William and later took over management of several family printing ventures, including newspapers in Providence, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. Her most enduring achievement came in January 1777, when, as publisher of the Maryland Journal, she printed the first official broadside of the Declaration of Independence to include the names of the signers, transforming the document from an anonymous proclamation into a public act of personal accountability and political courage. Goddard also served as Baltimore’s postmaster from 1775 to 1789, becoming one of the first women to hold a federal post office appointment; in that role she managed critical mail routes during the Revolutionary War, helping to ensure the reliable flow of military and political intelligence. Despite her dismissal after the Post Office was reorganized under the new federal government, Goddard’s career demonstrated exceptional professional authority at a time when women were largely excluded from public life, securing her legacy as a central figure in early American print culture and civic administration.
T-Shirt Info:
Printed on a durable, shrink-resistant, and ultra-soft blend of 60% Polyester, 40% Cotton.
Care Instructions:
• Wash warm, hang dry
