Legends

illustration of Buffalo Bill

The first U.S. stamps, issued in 1847, featured portraits of indisputable legends: Benjamin Franklin and George Washington. More than 150 years later, the Postal Service continues this tradition with an ever-expanding gallery of heroes, leaders, and trailblazers who reflect the changing face of the United States.

From the noble profile of a Founding Father to the determined gaze of civil rights leaders, the personalities of these American legends come alive in their portraits.


Abigail Adams


Martin Van Buren


George Washington


Black Heritage: Jean Baptiste Pointe Du Sable


Black Heritage: Sojourner Truth


Celebrate The Century: The 1960s “I Have a Dream”


Folk Heroes: John Henry


Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan


Legends of the West: Buffalo Bill


Legends of the West: Sacagawea

Art of the Stamp