Penny Black

• This is a major break with a tradition that began in 1840 with the world’s first postage stamp, the Penny Black, which featured the reigning monarch, Queen Victoria, wearing her crown.
• Less discussed is the fact that the living monarch’s image must appear on all British stamps because the monarch embodies the nation itself.
• Whether sharing equal billing with another person or relegated to a corner, the living monarch’s image will always be found on British stamps.
• Indeed, stamps provide a visual history of American thinking about gender and race in a widely disseminated and easily recognizable tiny form.

A tradition codified

• That tradition continued for both currency and stamps until 1866, when it became codified into law.
• Why did depicting only the dead on U.S. currencies became a national priority in the year after the end of the Civil War?
• At the end of the 19th century, different types of people began to appear on stamps as American democracy became more inclusive.
• The only figures guaranteed a stamp are presidents, who become eligible for this honor one year after their death.

The politics of representation

• Despite these clear ideals, the question of representation has dogged postal portraits.
• Nonetheless, the current diversity of the cast of characters appearing on U.S. stamps continues to generate criticism.
• People with pronounced political views of whatever stripe can be unhappy with choices that seem to represent their opponents.
• But the controversy over who should represent the United States on stamps and what democracy looks like has been with our nation since 1792.