Collecting African American Themed Postage Stamps

James Joppy Jr.

“The contributions of African Americans toward the development of the nation have been documented through the years on U.S. postage stamps. My introduction to African Americans on U.S. postage stamps began in the early 1990s while attending a Black Memorabilia and Collectible showcase in Silver Spring, Maryland. I purchased a set of 33 stamps of African Americans on U.S. Stamps covering 1940 -1993. Little did I know at the time that this purchase would spark a lifelong pursuit of learning about African American history through U.S. postage stamps.

The earliest stamp in the set was Booker T. Washington, educator, statesman, and founder of the Tuskegee Institute. This 10-cent stamp marked the first time an African American appeared on a U.S. postage stamp. The set also included a stamp of Harriet Tubman, abolitionist, and conductor of the Underground Railroad. This 13-cent stamp marked the first appearance of an African American female on a U.S. stamp and the first stamp in the Black Heritage Series in 1978. I remember being impressed with the color and detail of the stamps and surprised that I was not familiar with many of them.

Since the first stamp in 1940, hundreds of stamps have been issued honoring African Americans as individuals on U.S. stamps, and numerous others have been featured on stamps commemorating significant events and subjects.”

Memories & Inspiration: The Kerry and C. Betty Davis Collection of African American Art is organized and toured by International Arts & Artists.