Norfolk, VA – September 23, 2026 -- The U.S. Postal Service has dedicated its newest Kwanzaa stamp, marking the 11th design since the first was issued in 1997. Postmaster Matthew Toman served as the dedicating official for the ceremony in Norfolk, Virginia.
The stamp depicts a father and daughter sharing a moment
The digital illustration shows a father in a green, yellow and white dashiki and matching kufi hat smiling at his young daughter, who wears a pink-print dress and holds a wrapped gift. He holds a kikombe cha umoja, the unity cup used in Kwanzaa celebrations. It is the first Kwanzaa stamp to center on a father-daughter pair.
Artist Cannaday Chapman drew on his own family life
Art director Antonio Alcalá selected illustrator Cannaday Chapman for the project after following his work for years. Chapman, a new father to a daughter, said he wanted the stamp to reflect childhood memories of lighting candles and wearing traditional clothing during Kwanzaa. "I wanted to use colors that felt fresh and unexpected compared to the traditional Kwanzaa palette," Chapman said, describing the lime green, pink and yellow scheme as an updated take on the holiday's usual black, red and green.
Kwanzaa stamps have appeared every two years since 2016
Founded in the United States in 1966, Kwanzaa was created to unify African Americans across religious and cultural lines. Its name comes from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza," meaning "first fruits," and the holiday draws on first-harvest traditions from across Africa. Each of its seven days honors one of the Nguzo Saba principles, including unity, self-determination and faith, recalled through the greeting "Habari gani?"
The stamps are sold in panes of 20
As Forever stamps, they remain valid at the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price regardless of future rate changes. Customers can purchase them through The Postal Store at usps.com, by phone, by mail through USA Philatelic, or at Post Office locations nationwide.