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.
A first-day-of-issue event for the Phillis Wheatley Black Heritage stamp will be held Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, at 11 a.m. EST at the Old South Meeting House, 310 Washington St. in Boston. The event is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared using the hashtag #BlackHeritageStamp. Attendees are encouraged to register at https://www.usps.com/philliswheatleystamp.
Born in West Africa and brought to Boston on a slave ship, Wheatley was enslaved but educated in the Wheatley household. In 1773, she published her first collection, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, which showcased her mastery of hymns, elegies and narrative verse. That same year, she was freed from slavery and later corresponded with figures such as George Washington, who praised her poetic talent.
Wheatley’s legacy has earned 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 are named in her honor, and she has been the subject of numerous inspirational children’s books.
In 2003, a statue of Wheatley was included in a new Boston Women’s Memorial. The first full-length scholarly biography of her life was published in 2011, followed by a second biographical study in 2023 as part of ongoing efforts to recognize her resilience in adversity.
The stamp was designed by USPS art director Antonio Alcalá using an existing portrait by artist Kerry James Marshall. It 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.
