The Postal Service will release its 11th Kwanzaa stamp on Wednesday, Sept. 23, in Norfolk, VA.
The Pan-African holiday, observed from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1 each year, celebrates family, community and culture. It stems from ancient and modern first-harvest festivals and incorporates traditions from across the African continent.
The holiday was first celebrated in 1966 and honors seven core principles, expressed in Swahili: unity (umoja), self-determination (kujichagulia), collective work and responsibility (ujima), cooperative economics (ujamaa), purpose (nia), creativity (kuumba) and faith (imani).
Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp featuring an illustration by Cannaday Chapman. Its color scheme features lime green, pink and yellow in a departure from the traditional green, red and black colors associated with the holiday.
The Kwanzaa stamp will be available in sheets of 20 at Post Offices and at usps.com.
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