June 1, 2016

On April 7, 1940, Booker T. Washington became the first African American to be depicted on a United States postage stamp. The 10 cent stamp was part of the Famous American Commemorative series issued in 1940. Born a slave on a Virginia farm, Washington rose to become one of the most influential African-American intellectuals of the late 19th century. In 1881, he founded the Tuskegee Institute, a black school in Alabama devoted to training teachers. The Post Office Department (POD) selected Tuskegee Institute, founded by Washington, to host the stamp's first day of issue ceremony. The POD honored Booker T. Washington once again in 1956, the centennial of his birth.