Throughout the years, the United States Postal Service has tried
to preserve America's rich history and culture through its commemorative
stamp program. The Postal Service has issued Black History-related stamps
to commemorate black men and women who have contributed to America's history
and who have made a difference.
In 1940, Booker T. Washington became the first black American to
be honored on a U.S. postage stamp issue. Since then, other black Americans
have been honored as individuals and/or depicted as representatives of
their race in different categories such as civil rights, sports, science,
and music on U.S. stamps.