{"id":19829,"date":"2025-10-29T15:46:04","date_gmt":"2025-10-29T19:46:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/?p=19829"},"modified":"2026-03-03T11:15:03","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T16:15:03","slug":"phillis-wheatley-black-heritage-u-s-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/?p=19829","title":{"rendered":"Phillis Wheatley (Black Heritage) (U.S. 2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"

From the USPS on October 29, 2025:<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The 49th Black Heritage stamp commemorates Phillis Wheatley (circa 1753-1784), the first author of African descent in the American Colonies to publish a book. As an enslaved woman with an education and prominent social connections, Wheatley occupied a unique and remarkable place in Colonial Boston, and she is often called \u201cthe mother of African American literature.\u201d Antonio Alcal\u00e1, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp with a portrait of Wheatley by internationally acclaimed artist Kerry James Marshall. The Phillis Wheatley stamp will be issued Jan. 29 in Boston.<\/p>\n

More details will be posted below the line, with the most recent information at the top.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Updated March 3rd<\/sup>:<\/strong>
\nThe Scott catalogue number for this issue is 6053.<\/p>\n

Updated January 8th<\/sup>:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Technical Specifications:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Issue: Phillis Wheatley Stamp
\nItem Number: 487800
\nDenomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever\u00ae
\nFormat: Pane of 20 (1 design)
\n\"\"<\/a>Series: Black Heritage
\nIssue Date & City: January 29, 2026, Boston, MA 02205
\nArt Director: Antonio Alcal\u00e1, Alexandria, VA
\nDesigner: Antonio Alcal\u00e1, Alexandria, VA
\nExisting Art: Kerry James Marshall, Chicago, IL
\nModeler: Joseph Sheeran
\nManufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
\nPrinter: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
\nPress Type: Muller A76
\nStamps per Pane: 20
\nPrint Quantity: 25,000,000 stamps
\nPaper Type: Nonphosphored Type III
\nAdhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
\nColors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
\nStamp Orientation: Vertical
\nImage Area (w x h): 0.8400 x 1.4200 in. \/ 21.3360 x 36.0680 mm.
\nOverall Size (w x h): 0.9800 x 1.5600 in. \/ 24.8920 x 39.6240 mm.
\nFull Pane Size (w x h): 6.0000 x 8.5000 in. \/ 152.4000 x 215.9000 mm.
\nPress Sheet Size (w x h): 12.0000 x 25.7500 in. \/ 304.8000 x 654.0500 mm.
\n\"\"<\/a>Plate Size: 240 stamps per revolution
\nPlate Number: \u201cP\u201d followed by four (4) single digits
\nMarginal Markings:
\nFront: Plate number in bottom two corners of pane
\nBack: \u00a9 2025 USPS \u2022 USPS logo \u2022 Two barcodes (487800) \u2022 Plate position diagram (6) \u2022 BLACK HERITAGE, Celebrating Phillis Wheatley, 49th IN A SERIES \u2022 Promotional text<\/p>\n

Updated January 2nd<\/sup>:<\/strong>
\n[ceremony details] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]<\/em><\/span>
\nUSPS Honors Phillis Wheatley, First Published African American Poet, With 49th Black Heritage Stamp<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

What:<\/strong> The U.S. Postal Service is honoring Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784), the first author of \"\"<\/a>African descent in the American Colonies to publish a book, with the 49th stamp in the Black Heritage series.<\/p>\n

The first-day-of-issue event for the Phillis Wheatley Black Heritage stamp is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag#BlackHeritageStamp.<\/p>\n

When:<\/strong> Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, at 11 a.m. EST<\/p>\n

Where:<\/strong>
\nOld South Meeting House
\n310 Washington St.
\nBoston, MA 02108<\/p>\n

RSVP:<\/strong> Attendees are encouraged to register at https:\/\/www.usps.com\/philliswheatleystamp<\/p>\n

Background:<\/strong> Born in West Africa and brought to Boston on a slave ship, Phillis Wheatley was enslaved but educated in the Wheatley household. Wheatley published her first collection, \u201cPoems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral,\u201d in 1773. This collection showcased her impressive mastery of various poetic forms, including hymns, elegies, and \"\"<\/a>narrative verse, securing her place in history. Freed from slavery that same year, she went on to correspond with figures such as George Washington, who praised her poetic talent.<\/p>\n

Wheatley\u2019s legacy continues to inspire generations, earning her the title \u201cthe mother of African American literature.\u201d Before the Civil War, abolitionists used her accomplishments to affirm the intellectual capability of people of African descent and argue against slavery. Today schools, libraries, community centers and university buildings across the country have been named for Wheatley, and she has been the subject of numerous inspirational books for children. In 2003, a statue of the poet was included in a new Boston Women\u2019s Memorial. The first full-length scholarly biography of Wheatley was published in 2011, with a second biographical study published in 2023, part of an ongoing effort to recognize her resilience in adversity.<\/p>\n

Antonio Alcal\u00e1, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp using an existing portrait by Kerry James Marshall.<\/p>\n

The Phillis Wheatley stamp will be issued in panes of 20. As a Forever stamp, it will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.<\/p>\n

Updated December 29th<\/sup>:<\/strong>
\nHere are the first-day postmarks for this issue:\"\"<\/a>The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.68″ x 1.50″\"\"<\/a>The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.75″ x 1.07″\"\"<\/a>There is a Special Postmark for this issue. It measures 2.68″ x 1.20″<\/p>\n

Updated December 27th<\/sup>:<\/strong>
\nOn January 29, 2026, in Boston, MA, the United States Postal Service\u00ae will issue the Phillis Wheatley stamp (Forever\u00ae priced at the First-Class Mail\u00ae rate), in one design, in a \"\"<\/a>pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 487800). This stamp will go on sale nationwide January 29, 2026, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.<\/p>\n

The 49th Black Heritage stamp honors poet Phillis Wheatley (ca 1753\u20131784), the first author of African descent in the American colonies to publish a book. Her 1773 book, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral<\/em>, showcased her ease with a wide range of genres, including hymns, elegies, philosophical poems, and narrative poems. After her death, abolitionists and emancipationists invoked her accomplishments to appeal to a shared humanity across racial divisions and to argue for the intellectual ability of people of African descent. She is often known as \u201cthe mother of African American literature.\u201d The stamp art features a black-and-white, ink-on-paper portrait of Wheatley by Kerry James Marshall, who imagines her later in life, working on her second, unpublished book of poems. Antonio Alcal\u00e1 served as art director.<\/p>\n

Item 487800, Pane of 20 Stamps<\/p>\n

Automatic distribution.<\/p>\n

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:<\/strong>
\nCustomers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office\u2122 or at The Postal Store\u00ae website at store.usps.com\/store\/home. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope \"\"<\/a>addressed to:<\/p>\n

FDOI \u2013 Phillis Wheatley Stamp
\nUSPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
\n8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
\nKansas City, MO 64144-9900<\/strong><\/p>\n

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service\u2122 will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by May 29, 2026.<\/p>\n

Technical details will appear in a future edition of the Postal Bulletin<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Updated December 12th<\/sup>:<\/strong>
\nThis stamp will be issued Thursday, January 29, as stated above.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From the USPS on October 29, 2025: The 49th Black Heritage stamp commemorates Phillis Wheatley (circa 1753-1784), the first author of African descent in the American Colonies to publish a book. As an enslaved woman with an education and prominent … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[118],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19829","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-us-2026"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19829","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=19829"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19829\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20350,"href":"https:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19829\/revisions\/20350"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=19829"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=19829"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=19829"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}