The African American Tradition

This gigantic "book" is actually a stack of unnumbered color plates, arranged in alphabetical order, by the last name of the African American hero featured on each. The author, Thomas Blackshear, is a contemporary African Americna artist who draws, paints, illustrates, and sculpts. Mr. Blackshear's artwork is seen on the 25c Ida B. Wells postage stamp, the 49c Dorothy Height postage stamp, the 22c Jean Baptiste Point du Sable postage stamp, five 32c Classic Movie Monsters commemorative stamps, ten 32c Jazz Musicians commemorative stamps, the 29c Joe Louis postage stamp, the 33c James Cagney commemorative stamp, and the 37c James Baldwin commemorative stamp.  An exhibition of his stamp art was shown in 1992 here at the Smithsonian. One year later, this book was published, and the National Postal Museum opened.