2025 First-Class Forever Stamp,Allen Toussaint

US
2025 Allen Toussaint

• 48th stamp in Black Heritage Series
• Honors Rhythm and Blues pianist, singer, songwriter
  
  

Stamp Category:  Commemorative
Set :  Black Heritage
Value:  73¢, First-class mail rate, Forever
First Day of Issue:  January 30, 2025
First Day City:  New Orleans
Quantity Issued:  30,000,000
Printed by:  Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method:  Offset, Flexographic, Microprint
Format:  Panes of 20
Perforations:  Die Cut simulated perforations

Why the stamp was issued:  The 48th stamp in the Black Heritage Series celebrates Allen Toussaint, who shaped the New Orleans Rhythm and Blues sound.

About the stamp design:  A 2007 photograph of Toussaint at a piano was used for the stamp. The photo was taken in New York City by Bill Tompkins.

First Day City:  The dedication ceremony for this stamp took place at the Geroge and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. 

About the Black Heritage Series:  The Black Heritage Series is one of the USPS’s longest-running stamp series. It began on February 1, 1978, with the issue of the 13¢ Harriet Tubman stamp (US #1744). Since then, the USPS has issued a new stamp in the series every year. A number of them have even been released in February in recognition of Black History Month.

History the stamp represents:  Allen Richard Toussaint (January 14, 1938-November 10, 2015) was a legendary musician, songwriter, producer, and more. His own talents were undeniable, but Toussaint was also known for his ability to bring out the best in other artists.
Toussaint was born and raised in New Orleans and was exposed to music at an early age. He learned to play piano as a child and began playing in a band called The Flamingos as a teenager. Toussaint’s big break came at age 17 when he stood in for a well-known piano player during a performance with Earl King’s band in Prichard, Alabama. His first recording came two years later, and the rest is history.
Throughout his career, Toussaint’s signature blend of funk, soul, and jazz, rooted in New Orleans’ rhythmic traditions, earned him a reputation as a pioneer of R&B music. His songwriting resonated with musicians across genres, leading him to collaborate with icons like Paul McCarney, Elvis Costello, and more.
Today, Toussaint’s legacy lives on in the vibrant music of New Orleans, the artists he inspired, and the timeless catalog of songs he helped bring into the world. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. The 2025 addition to the Black Heritage Series is a fitting tribute to a man who helped define a new era of music.