LEGENDS founder Kim Perkins is a stamp collector who loves exploring the history behind the stamps. Over the years Mr. Perkins noticed that relatively few African Americans had been featured on postage stamps. In fact until Booker T. Washington appeared on a stamp in 1940, no African American had ever been portrayed on a stamp. It was another eight years before George Washington Carver became the second African American to appear on a stamp. Since that time there have been many more African Americans to be honored however there are many that the postal service may never recognize. LEGENDS Urban Wear was created to help recognize, educate and celebrate African-Americans from our unique perspective.
Knowing that African Americans are proud of their heritage and eager to learn the untold stories of these legends, Mr. Perkins set out to recognize these heroes in a unique way. LEGENDS Urban Wear has created custom screen prints featuring African American historical figures in unique postage stamp designs. These designs are displayed on T-shirts, both short and long sleeve as well as ladies dress tees and hoodies. Wearing these items allows customers to make a fashion statement and display pride in their heritage at the same time. Heading up the lineup are designs of heroes and icons such as the Tuskegee Airmen, the Buffalo Soldiers, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, and Sojourner Truth to name a few.
LEGENDS Urban Wear symbolizes the ability to overcome any hardship or obstacle and still come out on top. LEGENDS is a lifestyle that originates inspiration and its future will always belong to the people who wear it.
AFRICAN AMERICANS AND THE US POSTAL SERVICE
From 1847, when the first US postal stamp was issued, until 1940 there was no representation of African Americans on any US postal stamp.
Booker T Washington, educator, broke the postal color line in 1940 when his likeness was depicted on a 10 cent stamp of the Famous American Series. Later in 1956 a postage stamp depicted the cabin in which he was born and was issued on the centennial of his birth.
In 1948 the next African American on a US postage stamp was famous scientist George Washington Carver.
Two decades passed before Frederick Douglass, also a former slave, was honored on a $.25 stamp in 1967. This was the first regular stamp issue depicting an African American. After the Civil War, Frederick Douglass fought for the passage of the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments to the Constitution.
In 1978, the U. S. Postal Service started a new stamp series to honor African-Americans and the vital role they have played in U. S. history. The series is called the Black Heritage series. A new stamp is issued each year during Black History Month.
