U.S. Postmasters General

In 1775, the Continental Congress appointed Benjamin Franklin Postmaster General (PMG). Franklin had previously served in that post under the Crown. He was followed by his son-in-law, Richard Bache, and Ebenezer Hazard. The first Postmaster General of the new United States of America was Samuel Osgood. Postmasters General continued to be appointed by the President until 1971, when the U.S. Post Office Department was reorganized into the U.S. Postal Service. At that time, the office of Postmaster General was removed from the U.S. Cabinet and from that time on, Postmasters General have been named by the Board of Governors of the U.S. Postal Service.