African Americans in the Postal Service and Philately

Topical Reference Page
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37c Alvin Ailey and Dancers stamp, 2004

The National Postal Museum celebrates African American history by providing online resources about the role of African Americans in the postal service and philately.

22-cent Mary McLeod Bethune stamp
Women on Stamps: Part 2 - Mary McLeod Bethune
Exhibition
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Negro Leagues Baseball stamp art
Negro Leagues Baseball
October 20, 2010 - July 10, 2011
Exhibition

On view was original art produced by Kadir Nelson for the creation of the Negro Leagues Baseball stamps, which pay tribute to the all-black professional baseball leagues that operated from 1920 to approximately 1960.

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33-cent Patricia Roberts Harris stamp
Women on Stamps: Part 1 - Patricia Harris
Exhibition
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African-American and white RPO clerks worked side by side in the cars.
The Railway Mail Service - Race Relations
Research Article
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Roberto Clementes baseball bat
Baseball: America’s Home Run - Roberto Clemente
Exhibition
Chief curator Daniel Piazza shares intimate knowledge, little-known facts and secrets about the stories told in “Baseball: America’s Home Run,” highlighting some of the spectacular objects on display, including discussions with key lenders to the exhibition on artifacts never-before displayed for pubic view.
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Segregated Saddlebag
Object Spotlight

While the outside of the saddlebag is innocuous enough, flipping open the mailbags on each side reveal a disturbing reality.

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1943 telegram ending segregation in baseball
Baseball: America’s Home Run - Segregation and Negro Leagues
Exhibition
Chief curator Daniel Piazza shares intimate knowledge, little-known facts and secrets about the stories told in “Baseball: America’s Home Run,” highlighting some of the spectacular objects on display, including discussions with key lenders to the exhibition on artifacts never-before displayed for pubic view.
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A colorful Kwanzaa stamp featuring a family lighting a Kinara.
Sharing the Timeless Principles of Kwanzaa
Exhibition

Kwanzaa is the ideal time to consider harmonious and principled togetherness in the family, the neighborhood, the nation, and the world.

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1963 March on Washington 37c cent postage stamp with painting of a crowd holding signs
Stamp Stories: Alma Thomas
Delight in the colorful world of the paintings of Alma Thomas with the National Postal Museum and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Educators explore Thomas’s life and work through museum objects, a children’s book, and postage stamps.

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A Forever stamp with illustration of Celia Cruz singing
Stamp Stories: Celia Cruz
Learn about the inspirational life of Celia Cruz, an Afro-Cuban singer whose talent and charisma helped to popularize salsa music in the United States.

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Stamp featuring a break dancer and a boom box
Stamp Stories: Hip Hop
Celebrate the diverse culture of hip hop with the National Postal Museum and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

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Postage stamp featuring a collage by Romare Bearden
Stamp Stories: Romare Bearden
Explore the colorful and creative world of renowned artist and Civil Rights activist Romare Bearden with the National Postal Museum and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Learn more About Stamp Stories: Romare Bearden

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Painting of baseball player Larry Doby’s upper body in uniform holding bat awaiting pitch.
Kadir Nelson: The Artist Behind the Stamp
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Explore the work of Kadir Nelson, a prolific contemporary artist and illustrator who has created numerous postage stamps often highlighting the lives and accomplishments of African Americans. 

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Oil painting of Marian Anderson that was used in stamp design
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