USPS will celebrate African-American History Month, which begins Feb. 1.
“The Postal Service is proud to commemorate African-American History Month,” said Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan. “Throughout history, African-Americans have played an integral role in our organization’s success, and we look forward to honoring their ongoing contributions.”
In the early 20th century, many African-Americans found steady, valuable jobs in urban Post Offices. The Post Office Department became a rare avenue of opportunity for African-Americans, offering positions that helped lead to the emergence of a black middle class. Today, approximately 175,900 postal employees — or 26.6 percent of the organization’s workforce — are African-American.
USPS will commemorate the month through activities at its facilities, as well as events to celebrate the new Lena Horne stamp, the 41st entry in the Black Heritage series.
African-American History Month traces its origins to February 1926, when historian Carter G. Woodson organized a weeklong celebration recognizing African-Americans’ contributions to the nation’s history and culture. President Ford expanded the observation to a full month in 1976.
The Postal History section on usps.com has additional information, including lists of notable African-American postal employees.