USPS will mark African-American History Month, an annual observance held each February.
“The Postal Service proudly commemorates African-American History Month each year,” said Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan. “African-Americans have always been vital to the success of our organization, and we value their contributions.”
At the beginning of the 20th century, many African-Americans found work in urban Post Offices. The Post Office Department became a source of opportunity for these employees, helping to pave the way for the creation of an African-American middle class.
Currently, about 26 percent of the USPS workforce — or approximately 163,000 employees — are African-American.
African-American History Month traces its roots to February 1926, when historian Carter G. Woodson helped establish a weeklong commemoration to raise awareness of African-Americans’ contributions. The observance was expanded to a full month in 1976.
The usps.com Postal History section has additional information, including articles about 19th-century and 20th-century African-American postal employees.