© 2025 USPS
On February 28, 2026, in Washington, DC, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Harriet Powers stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate), in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 488100). These stamps will go on sale nationwide February 28, 2026, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Harriet Powers commemorative pane of 20 stamps must not be split and the stamps must not be sold individually.
With this issuance, the U.S. Postal Service honors quiltmaker Harriet Powers (1837–1910), a formerly enslaved woman who stitched works that are celebrated as masterpieces of American folk art and storytelling. The stamps feature details from four of the 15 panels that make up the “Pictorial Quilt,” which she completed in 1898. Each stamp features a pieced, appliquéd, and embroidered scene from a familiar story drawn from local lore or the Bible. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps and stamp pane.
Stamp Fulfillment Services will make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices of a quantity to cover approximately 30 days of sales. Distribution quantities for the automatic push distribution are available by logging on to SFS Web at sfsweb.usps.gov/sfsweb. Post Offices may begin ordering stamps before the first-day-of-issue through SFS Web; offices must also check the amount they will receive on their automatic push distribution.
Only the following pictorial postmark is permitted for the Harriet Powers stamps. The word “Station” or the abbreviation “STA” is required somewhere in the design because it will be a temporary station. Use of any image other than the following special pictorial image is prohibited.
To finalize the Harriet Powers stamps pictorial postmark art, insert the date, city, state, and ZIP Code™ of the physical location of your event adjacent to the stamp image. Overall dimensions of the pictorial postmark must not exceed 4 inches (horizontally) by 2 inches (vertically). Collectors prefer the dimensions 3-1/2 inches by 1 inch.
The Postal Service™ must make all special postmarks known to collectors through advance publicity in the Postal Bulletin. Therefore, all special dedication cancellations must be reported to Stamp Services 4 weeks before the event using PS Form 413, Pictorial Postmark Announcement/Report. To get a copy of the form, go to blue.usps.gov/formmgmt/forms/ps413.pdf.
The first-day-of-issue postmark is a postmark notating the day a stamp is first authorized for use by the Postal Service. Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. All requests for first-day-of-issue postmarks (Traditional or Digital Color Postmark) must be sent to the following address with the choice of Traditional or Digital Color Postmark identified. All orders must be postmarked by June 28, 2026.
FDOI – Harriet Powers Stamps
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900
Customers 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 envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope and mail to the above address.
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.
Customers can also submit collectable paper items or memorabilia of their choice for a black and white cancellation. The request must include packaging large enough to accommodate their cancelled items along with sufficient postage affixed for the return of their postmarked item.
If the cancelled item is not mailable by First-Class, and return packaging with postage is not provided, the order must include a way to contact the customer for payment. Payment for quantities greater than 50 cancels and/or postage for shipping must be submitted by check, money order, or credit card.
Only select stamp issues offer a digital color postmark. Digital color postmarks can only be affixed to paper products. Customers may submit #6 or #10 envelopes constructed of paper rated as “laser safe.” The Postal Service™ recommends envelopes of 80-pound Accent Opaque, acid-free, 9/16-inch side seams with no glue on the flap. The maximum size of all digital color postmarks is 2 inches (vertically) by 4 inches (horizontally). Allow sufficient space on the envelope to accommodate the postmark. Do not use self-adhesive labels for addresses on the envelope. Two test envelopes must be included. There is a 50-cent charge per postmark at the time of servicing. Customers must submit a check, money order, or credit card for payment.
The Postal Service reserves the right to not accept hand-painted and other cachet envelopes that are not compatible with our digital color postmark equipment. The Postal Service also reserves the right to substitute traditional black rubber postmarks if use of non-specified envelopes results in poor image quality or damage to equipment.
Customers must affix the stamps to the envelopes and address them to themselves or others for return through the mail. Or they may include an additional self-addressed return envelope, large enough to accommodate their canceled items, with sufficient postage affixed for return of their postmarked items.
After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes to the customer by U.S. Mail®.
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.
Technical details will appear in a future edition of the Postal Bulletin.
— Stamp Services,
Marketing, 1-22-26
