African Americans Stamp on History
Harriet Tubman
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Harriet Tubman was the first African-American woman to be honored on a U.S. stamp, and the first honoree in the Black Heritage series. Initiated with this stamp in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featuring a notable Black American every February in conjunction with Black History Month and at other times during the year. She was known as the Moses of her people. A former slave, she escaped bondage by fleeing to Pennsylvania. However, she returned to the South at least 19 times in order to help more than 300 slaves escape to freedom. Stamp Issued in 1978
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
This stamp honors the memory of Martin Luther King, Jr., Nobel Prize winner and champion of non-violence. A Baptist minister, King sought equality for all Americans and fought for peaceful solutions to racial issues. He was assassinated in 1968.
This stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featuring a notable Black American every February in conjunction with Black History Month and at other times during the year.
Stamp Issued in 1979
Benjamin Banneker
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Whitney Moore Young
A self-taught mathematician and astronomer, Benjamin Banneker was probably the most accomplished African American of America’s colonial period. In 1753, he constructed the first wooden striking clock made in America. His studies and calculations in astronomy allowed him to successfully predict a solar eclipse in 1789 and to publish farmer’s almanacs in the 1790s. In 1791 he helped design and survey the city of Washington, D.C.
This stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featuring a notable Black American every February in conjunction with Black History Month and at other times during the year.
Stamp Issued in 1980
Whitney Moore Young
Whitney Moore Young
Whitney Moore Young
As a leader and executive director of the National Urban League, he worked to find common ground between blacks and whites during the Civil Rights battles of the 1950s and 60s. His background in social work helped him contribute to federal plans to improve housing, employment and education opportunities for the poor. Many of these ideas were adopted into President Johnson's Anti-Poverty Program in the 1960s.
This stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featuring a notable Black American every February in conjunction with Black History Month and at other times during the year.
Stamp Issued in 1981
Jackie Robinson
Whitney Moore Young
Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson broke the Major League Baseball color barrier in 1947. This very public step in integration contributed to the increasing awareness of the Civil Rights battles that challenged American norms during the 20th century. After serving in the Army during World War II and playing baseball in the Negro leagues, Robinson signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers organization to initiate integration in this high profile professional sport. He endured racial insults, slurs, and threatened boycotts during those first years but he played spectacularly. He earned Rookie of the Year in 1947 and was selected to six National League All-Star teams during his career. He was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962-the first African American to be so honored.
Stamp Issued in 1982
Scott Joplin
Whitney Moore Young
Jackie Robinson
A 20-cent commemorative stamp honoring ragtime composer Scott Joplin
Through his life, Scott Joplin fought for recognition. In the 1970's, ragtime finally began to receive academic recognition and respect and, in 1977, Joplin was awarded the Pulitzer Prize posthumously for Treemonisha.
This stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featuring a notable Black American every February in conjunction with Black History Month and at other times during the year.
This stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featuring a notable Black American every February in conjunction with Black History Month and at other times during the year.
Stamp Issued in 1983
Carter G. Woodson
Mary McLeod Bethune
Mary McLeod Bethune
Credited with formalizing the field of academic black history in America, Dr. Carter G. Woodson also broadened public awareness to the impact of black Americans on our nation's history by starting Negro History Week in 1926. This later became Black History Month, celebrated every February. He would become a prominent historian after studying at the University of Chicago and Harvard University, but Woodson first attended school at the age of 17 while working in a coal mine. The son of former slaves studied Latin and Greek between trips to the mine shafts. During his career as a historian he worked to formalize the study of black history beyond its previously accepted status as folklore. His legacy includes the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History and the prestigious Journal of Negro History.
This stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featuring a notable Black American every February in conjunction with Black History Month and at other times during the year.
Stamp Issued in 1984
Mary McLeod Bethune
Mary McLeod Bethune
Mary McLeod Bethune
Mary McLeod Bethune (1875-1955) was an educator who inspired many with her social activism. Born in South Carolina to former slaves, Mary valued the education she received and began to give back. In 1904 she founded a school for African American girls in Daytona Beach, which eventually became the Bethune-Cookman College. Mary served as its president for over 40 years, working to ensure a high standard of education and proper funding. She founded the National Council of Negro Women in 1935 and served as the vice-president of the NAACP for 15 years. Her work was noticed by President Franklin Roosevelt, to whom she served as a counselor on child welfare and as an advisor regarding issues facing African Americans.
This stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featuring a notable Black American every February in conjunction with Black History Month and at other times during the year.
Stamp Issued in 1985
Sojourner Truth
Mary McLeod Bethune
Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable
Sojourner Truth was one of the most inspirational and widely known African-Americans of the 19th century. She was born Isabella Bomefree (also spelled “Baumfree”) in 1797, a slave in New York, but received her freedom in 1828. In the 1830s, she became involved in evangelical movements, and in 1843 she changed her name to Sojourner Truth and began traveling and preaching. Her autobiography, The Narrative of Sojourner Truth: A Northern Slave, was published in 1850, and her speeches against slavery and for women’s suffrage drew large crowds. In 1864, President Abraham Lincoln received her at the White House, and from 1864 to 1868 she worked with the National Freedmen’s Relief Association to advise former slaves as they started new lives.
This stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featuring a notable Black American every February in conjunction with Black History Month and at other times during the year.
Stamp Issued in 1986
Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable
Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable
Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable
A pioneer and entrepreneur, Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable is acknowledged as the founder of Chicago for having established the first permanent trading post at the mouth of the Chicago River in 1779. At his settlement, du Sable exhibited skill and knowledge as a merchant, fur trader, farmer, and businessman.This stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featuring a notable Black American every February in conjunction with Black History Month and at other times during the year.
This stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featuring a notable Black American every February in conjunction with Black History Month and at other times during the year.
Stamp Issued in 1987
James Weldon Johnson
Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable
James Weldon Johnson
A true renaissance man, James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938) brought his unique voice to America as a lawyer, diplomat, educator, musician and writer. He lived and worked in Harlem during the 1920s and served as the executive director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) during the flowering of black culture and activism that characterized that time and place. Through his writing, music, and political service, he dedicated his life to improving the status of other African Americans. His composition, "Lift Every Voice and Sing", is sung today as the Black National Anthem.This stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featuring a notable Black American every February in conjunction with Black History Month and at other times during the year.
This stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featuring a notable Black American every February in conjunction with Black History Month and at other times during the year.
Stamp Issued in 1988
A. Philip Randolph
Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable
James Weldon Johnson
Raised in abolitionist traditions by his minister father, A. Philip Randolph mirrored those beliefs for more than 60 years as a tireless champion of equal rights and equal opportunity. In 1925 he organized the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, and in 1937, after 12 years of contentious and often bitter struggle with the Pullman Company, he achieved the first union contract signed by a white employer and an African-American labor union.
This stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featuring a notable Black American every February in conjunction with Black History Month and at other times during the year.
Stamp Issued in 1989
African Americans Stamp on History
Ida B. Wells
Ida B. Wells continued the legacy of Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman, dedicating her life to teaching others of the injustices facing women and African Americans. In 1884 Ida refused to move to the segregated car on a train and was forced off the car. Infuriated, she sued and won, but the case was overturned.
Ida began writing about
Ida B. Wells continued the legacy of Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman, dedicating her life to teaching others of the injustices facing women and African Americans. In 1884 Ida refused to move to the segregated car on a train and was forced off the car. Infuriated, she sued and won, but the case was overturned.
Ida began writing about her own experiences and those of others. She launched a crusade against lynching, Jim Crow laws, unequal education and actively promoted suffrage for women. Although she received numerous threats for her views, Ida refused to stop. She helped form the National Association of Colored Women and campaigned for voting rights for African American women. She was also a founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Ida’s work spread awareness of discrimination and promoted equal opportunities for all.
This stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featuring a notable Black American every February in conjunction with Black History Month and at other times during the year.
Stamp Issued in 1990
Jan Matzeliger
Jan Matzeliger (1852-1889) invented an automatic method for creating shoes. Born in Surinam he came to the United States at 19 and secured an apprenticeship at a shoe factory. This gave him the inspiration for his invention as the shoe industry was consistently stalled by the labor intensive job to build lasts-wooden molds shaped like the
Jan Matzeliger (1852-1889) invented an automatic method for creating shoes. Born in Surinam he came to the United States at 19 and secured an apprenticeship at a shoe factory. This gave him the inspiration for his invention as the shoe industry was consistently stalled by the labor intensive job to build lasts-wooden molds shaped like the customer's foot. His lasting machine could turn out up to ten times more pairs of shoes per day than a single hand laster. This made shoes cheaper and more readily available to a greater number of people.
This stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featuring a notable Black American every February in conjunction with Black History Month and at other times during the year.
Stamp Issued in 1991
W.E.B. Du Bois
Percy Lavon Julian
W.E.B. Du Bois was a critic, editor, scholar, author, civil rights leader, and one of the most influential African-Americans of both the 19th and 20th centuries. He is often called the “father of social science” for his trail-blazing approach to studying social systems and phenomena. He was one of the founders of the National Association
W.E.B. Du Bois was a critic, editor, scholar, author, civil rights leader, and one of the most influential African-Americans of both the 19th and 20th centuries. He is often called the “father of social science” for his trail-blazing approach to studying social systems and phenomena. He was one of the founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909, and he served for 25 years as the editor-inchief of the NAACP’s Crisis magazine.
Through the NAACP's "The Crisis", Du Bois drew the critical eye of the nation and Congress to the horrors of lynching and the mistreatment of returning black soldiers from World War I. In later years, Du Bois turned his attention to the global issues of race and the Pan-African Movement.
This stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featuring a notable Black American every February in conjunction with Black History Month and at other times during the year.
Stamp Issued in 1992
Percy Lavon Julian
Percy Lavon Julian
Percy Lavon Julian
Percy Lavon Julian won fame as a research chemist. He synthesized cortisone for arthritis, a drug for glaucoma, and progesterone. For his outstanding contribution to chemistry and medical science, he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1990.
This stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, th
Percy Lavon Julian won fame as a research chemist. He synthesized cortisone for arthritis, a drug for glaucoma, and progesterone. For his outstanding contribution to chemistry and medical science, he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1990.
This stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featuring a notable Black American every February in conjunction with Black History Month and at other times during the year.
Stamp Issued in 1993
Dr. Allison Davis
Percy Lavon Julian
Dr. Allison Davis
An anthropologist and educator, Dr. Allison Davis served the Johnson and Nixon administrations as a member of the President’s Commission on Civil Rights and as the vice chairman of the Department of Labor’s Commission on Manpower Retraining. He was a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Educatio
An anthropologist and educator, Dr. Allison Davis served the Johnson and Nixon administrations as a member of the President’s Commission on Civil Rights and as the vice chairman of the Department of Labor’s Commission on Manpower Retraining. He was a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Education.
stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featuring a notable Black American every February in conjunction with Black History Month and at other times during the year.
Stamp Issued in 1994.
Bessie Coleman
Percy Lavon Julian
Dr. Allison Davis
Bessie Coleman (1896-1926) began her career as a manicurist in Chicago. Thrilled by stories of World War I pilots, she dreamed of learning to fly. At the time, American flight schools would not accept her because she was African American and a woman, so Bessie looked abroad to France to gain her license. In 1921, she became the first Afr
Bessie Coleman (1896-1926) began her career as a manicurist in Chicago. Thrilled by stories of World War I pilots, she dreamed of learning to fly. At the time, American flight schools would not accept her because she was African American and a woman, so Bessie looked abroad to France to gain her license. In 1921, she became the first African American woman in the world to earn a pilot’s license. “Queen Bess” returned to the U.S. and performed as a stunt pilot in air shows. She refused to enter shows that denied admission to African Americans. Bessie’s dreams of establishing a flight school for African Americans were lost when she died in a plane accident, but her legacy lives on as inspiration for those struggling against adversity.
stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featuring a notable Black American every February in conjunction with Black History Month and at other times during the year.
Stamp Issued in 1995
Ernest E. Just
Benjamin O. Davis, Sr.
Benjamin O. Davis, Sr.
Ernest E. Just is known primarily for his research in marine biology. He pioneered experiments in the fertilization of marine invertebrates and studied the fundamental role of the cell surface in the development of organisms. In 1915 he was the first recipient of the Spingarn Medal awarded by the National Association for the Advancement o
Ernest E. Just is known primarily for his research in marine biology. He pioneered experiments in the fertilization of marine invertebrates and studied the fundamental role of the cell surface in the development of organisms. In 1915 he was the first recipient of the Spingarn Medal awarded by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
This stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featuring a notable Black American every February in conjunction with Black History Month and at other times during the year.
Stamp Issued in 1996
Benjamin O. Davis, Sr.
Benjamin O. Davis, Sr.
Benjamin O. Davis, Sr.
Benjamin O. Davis, Sr. distinguished himself in a long military career that saw him become the nation's first African-American brigadier general. He was a driving force in the eventual integration of the U.S. armed forces.
This stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featur
Benjamin O. Davis, Sr. distinguished himself in a long military career that saw him become the nation's first African-American brigadier general. He was a driving force in the eventual integration of the U.S. armed forces.
This stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featuring a notable Black American every February in conjunction with Black History Month and at other times during the year.
Stamp Issued in 1997
Madam C.J. Walker
Benjamin O. Davis, Sr.
Madam C.J. Walker
At a time when few opportunities were available to African American women, Sarah Breedlove (later Madam C.J. Walker) (1867-1919) made herself a household name. One evening she dreamt of selling hair products to cure baldness and made her dream a reality. With the help of her husband and daughter, Madam Walker sold her hair products and co
At a time when few opportunities were available to African American women, Sarah Breedlove (later Madam C.J. Walker) (1867-1919) made herself a household name. One evening she dreamt of selling hair products to cure baldness and made her dream a reality. With the help of her husband and daughter, Madam Walker sold her hair products and cosmetics door-to-door. Her business quickly expanded, becoming one of the country’s largest African American-owned businesses. She became the first American female millionaire. The success of her business created opportunities for thousands of black women in beauty shops across the nation. Madam Walker was also a dedicated philanthropist and political activist, supporting education, veteran’s issues, political rights and equal opportunity for African Americans.
stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featuring a notable Black American every February in conjunction with Black History Month and at other times during the year.
Stamp Issued in 1998
Malcolm X
Patricia Harris
Madam C.J. Walker
Born as Malcolm Little, Malcolm X (1925-1965) emerged in the 1950s as a major spokesperson for African Americans. He changed his surname to X and became a leader in the Nation of Islam. He initially advocated separatism for blacks in America, but then split from the Nation of Islam and sought to unify all blacks to work with whites and H
Born as Malcolm Little, Malcolm X (1925-1965) emerged in the 1950s as a major spokesperson for African Americans. He changed his surname to X and became a leader in the Nation of Islam. He initially advocated separatism for blacks in America, but then split from the Nation of Islam and sought to unify all blacks to work with whites and Hispanics to end racial discrimination. He was both a brilliant scholar and a fiery orator whose persuasive and passionate views helped define the debate on race relations.
This stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featuring a notable Black American every February in conjunction with Black History Month and at other times during the year.
Stamp Issued in 1999
Patricia Harris
Patricia Harris
Patricia Harris
Patricia Harris (1924-1985) was raised to believe that education was the means for success. She graduated first in her class in the Howard University law school and began a long, distinguished career as a lawyer, educator and public administrator. At Howard, she served as dean and professor as well as President Kennedy’s appointed chairp
Patricia Harris (1924-1985) was raised to believe that education was the means for success. She graduated first in her class in the Howard University law school and began a long, distinguished career as a lawyer, educator and public administrator. At Howard, she served as dean and professor as well as President Kennedy’s appointed chairperson of the National Women’s Committee. Harris’ work continued as she became the first female African American U.S. ambassador and the first African American woman appointed to a presidential cabinet.
This stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featuring a notable Black American every February in conjunction with Black History Month and at other times during the year.
Stamp Issued in 2000
Roy Wilkins
Patricia Harris
Patricia Harris
Under the leadership of Roy Wilkins (1901-1981) the NAACP campaigned for the successful passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968. Wilkins grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota and was influenced at an early age by the harsh incidents of racism and lynching that occurred in this nor
Under the leadership of Roy Wilkins (1901-1981) the NAACP campaigned for the successful passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968. Wilkins grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota and was influenced at an early age by the harsh incidents of racism and lynching that occurred in this northern city. His life-long involvement with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) started when he became a member in college and continued as he worked as an assistant executive secretary, editor of The Crisis, executive secretary and executive director (1955-1977).
This stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featuring a notable Black American every February in conjunction with Black History Month and at other times during the year.
Stamp Issued in2001