Black Heritage Series

The American Philatelic Society (APS) has updated the Black Heritage Series document. Here is a brief history from their site www.stamps.org to give you some background on this commemorative series.

“At a 1975 planning meeting of the Queens County, New York, Bicentennial Committee, Clarence L. Irving, founder of the Black American Heritage Foundation (BAHF), proposed asking the U.S. Postal Service to include black Americans in the stamp program associated with the upcoming Bicentennial of the United States. The proposal quickly outgrew its original scope, and in 1978, the U.S. Postal Service, as part of its mission “to celebrate the people, events, and cultural milestones that are unique to our great nation,” created a totally new stamp series to honor black Americans and the vital role they have played in U.S. history.

The first stamp in the new Black Heritage Series featured Harriet Tubman (1820–1913). Born a slave, she helped more than 300 slaves escape to freedom along the fabled “Underground Railroad.” Tubman was the first African American woman to appear on a U.S. stamp. Subsequent honorees have included scientists, politicians, educators, authors, actors/singers, and athletes, among many others.”

In 2018 we will be highlighting the individuals in this series in celebration of 40 years – 1978-2018