Stamp Announcement 22-35: Kwanzaa 2022 Stamp

©2022 USPS

On October 13, 2022, in St. Louis, MO, the United States Postal Service^® will issue the Kwanzaa 2022 stamp (Forever^® priced at the First-Class Mail^® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 580600). This stamp will go on sale nationwide October 13, 2022, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

The Postal Service™ issues its ninth stamp in celebration of Kwanzaa, the non-religious holiday that brings family, community, and culture together for many African Americans over 7 days from December 26 to January 1 each year. The stamp design features a girl and a boy dressed in colorful robes akin to spiritual garments. A kinara (candleholder) and its seven lit candles are in the foreground. A light-blue circle behind the children’s heads represents wholeness and unifies the figures, and a mosaic motif frames the background. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp with original artwork by Erin Robinson.

Availability to Post Offices: Item 580600, Kwanzaa 2022 (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate) Pane of 20 Stamps

Stamp Fulfillment Services will not make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices. Post Offices may begin ordering stamps before the first-day-of-issue through SFS Web at sfsweb.usps.gov/sfsweb.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark

Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store^® website at store.usps.com/store/home. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI – Kwanzaa 2022 Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by February 13, 2023.

How to Order First-Day Covers

The Postal Service also offers first-day covers for new stamp issues and Postal Service stationery items postmarked with the official first-day-of-issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the USA Philatelic catalog and online at store.usps.com/store/home. Customers may register to receive a free USA Philatelic catalog online at usps.com/philatelic.

Locally produced items are not authorized. Only merchandise that has been approved and assigned an item number by Headquarters Retail Marketing may be produced and sold.

— Stamp Services,
Marketing, 9-8-22