Phillis Wheatley (Black Heritage) (U.S. 2026)

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 social connections, Wheatley occupied a unique and remarkable place in Colonial Boston, and she is often called “the mother of African American literature.” Antonio Alcalá, 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.

More details will be posted below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated March 3^rd:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 6053.

Updated January 8^th:

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Phillis Wheatley Stamp
Item Number: 487800
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever®
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: Black Heritage
Issue Date & City: January 29, 2026, Boston, MA 02205
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Existing Art: Kerry James Marshall, Chicago, IL
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 25,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.8400 x 1.4200 in. / 21.3360 x 36.0680 mm.
Overall Size (w x h): 0.9800 x 1.5600 in. / 24.8920 x 39.6240 mm.
Full Pane Size (w x h): 6.0000 x 8.5000 in. / 152.4000 x 215.9000 mm.
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 12.0000 x 25.7500 in. / 304.8000 x 654.0500 mm.
Plate Size: 240 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in bottom two corners of pane
Back: © 2025 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (487800) • Plate position diagram (6) • BLACK HERITAGE, Celebrating Phillis Wheatley, 49th IN A SERIES • Promotional text

Updated January 2^nd:
[ceremony details] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
USPS Honors Phillis Wheatley, First Published African American Poet, With 49th Black Heritage Stamp

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

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.

When: Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, at 11 a.m. EST

Where:
Old South Meeting House
310 Washington St.
Boston, MA 02108

RSVP: Attendees are encouraged to register at https://www.usps.com/philliswheatleystamp

Background: 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, “Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral,” in 1773. This collection showcased her impressive mastery of various poetic forms, including hymns, elegies, and 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.

Wheatley’s legacy continues to inspire generations, earning her the title “the mother of African American literature.” 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’s 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.

Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp using an existing portrait by Kerry James Marshall.

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.