Allen Toussaint's Musical Legacy honored with 48th Black Heritage Stamp

The 48th stamp in the Black Heritage series honors the legendary musician and songwriter Allen Toussaint (1938-2015). An icon of New Orleans music, Toussaint's contributions to rhythm and blues (R&B), jazz, and rock 'n' roll have left an enduring mark on American music.

Music icon Allen Toussaint's legacy continues to inspire. A prolific pianist, singer, songwriter, composer, arranger and producer, Toussaint left an indelible mark on New Orleans music and beyond.

His legendary career spanned decades, producing countless hits and collaborations with a wide array of artists. From classic songs such as "Fortune Teller" and "Southern Nights" to his behind-the-scenes work, Toussaint's influence continues to resonate globally.

President Barack Obama recognized Toussaint with the National Medal of Arts in 2013. His previous honors include induction into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2012, the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2011, the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2009, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. In 2022, the New Orleans City Council renamed Robert E. Lee Boulevard for Toussaint, who lived on the four-mile-long thoroughfare during the last years of his life.

Ethel Kessler, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp using a photograph by Bill Thompkins.

The Allen Toussaint stamp will be issued in panes of 20. Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price. The stamps are available here: https://store.usps.com/store/product/allen-toussaint-stamps-S_486004

USPS Voices of the Harlem Renaissance Stamps

I know many of you collect stamps in the USPS Black Heritage series and try to stay up to date with new stamp releases. While you may know of the 2020 Gwen Ifill stamp issued before the pandemic you may not have heard of the Voices of the Harlem Renaissance stamps released in May of 2020.

Issued May 21 in a pane of 20, the nondenominated (55¢) forever stamps honor novelist Nella Larsen; bibliophile and historian Arturo Alfonso Schomburg; poet Anne Spencer; and writer, philosopher, educator and arts advocate Alain Locke, who is known as the dean of the Harlem Renaissance.

“The stamps feature stylized pastel portraits of the honorees that incorporate African-inspired motifs as background elements,” according to the Postal Service. “The design elements reflect the increased interest in African culture, history, and aesthetics shown by the writers and artists of the Harlem Renaissance.”

USPS art director Greg Breeding designed the new Voices of the Harlem Renaissance stamps.

The pane of 20 includes a decorative header which shows a cityscape in silhouette with a sun in its midst. Block lettering spells out the title of the issue, “Voices of the Harlem Renaissance.”

The Voices of the Harlem Renaissance stamps will be sold only in full panes of 20 for $11 at post offices and online here: https://store.usps.com/store/product/buy-stamps/voices-of-the-harlem-renaissance-S_476404.