Postal Facts - U.S. Postal Service
The Postal Service has enabled faster, more efficient communication, created safer, more secure delivery of correspondence and merchandise and has adapted to meet the evolving needs of its customers for 250 years. It’s what we do.
The history of the Postal Service is a large story set on a broad canvas. It is intertwined with the history of America, and it provides a lens from which to observe the evolution of the United States. The postal system strengthened the foundations of our democracy by fostering the flow of ideas and access to America’s free press. It enabled the vast expansion of American industry and commerce, spanning and influencing the rise of the railroads in the 19th century, air travel in the 20th century and the advanced digital technology of recent decades. As America’s economy and society have evolved, so too has the Postal Service to both meet and reflect the nation’s changing needs.
Information about the history of the Postal Service can be found here
On time. Every time. The Postal Bulletin, a nationally distributed biweekly publication, serves as a source for official policy, procedure updates and departmental news for all Postal Service functions. It has never missed a deadline since its inception in 1880.
1847
first postage stamps
The first U.S. postage stamps were issued in 1847.
Mr. ZIP, who has no first name, appeared in many public service announcements and advertisements urging customers to use their five-digit ZIP Code introduced on July 1, 1963. Within four years of his appearance, eight out of 10 Americans knew who Mr. ZIP was and what he stood for. The character has found new life in recent years a USPS-licensed character and even has YouTube series.
Before 1863, postage paid only for the delivery of mail from Post Office to Post Office. Citizens picked up their mail, although in some cities they could pay an extra two-cent fee for letter delivery or use private delivery firms. An Act of Congress of March 3, 1863, effective July 1, 1863, provided that free city delivery be established at Post Offices where income from local postage was more than sufficient to pay all expenses of the service.
On an autumn day in 1888, a shaggy pup took his first steps toward becoming a postal legend when he crept into the Albany, NY, Post Office. Postal employees allowed him to stay and named him Owney.
Post Offices were first required to display the American flag in 1885 to comply with Treasury Department instructions. As of Nov. 7, 2019, Post Offices are required to fly the Prisoner of War (POW)-Missing in Action (MIA) flag on the same days that the American flag is flown.
On May 7, 1833, 24-year-old Abraham Lincoln was appointed postmaster of New Salem, IL. Lincoln served until the office was closed May 30, 1836.
Women served as postmasters in this country more than a century before they won the right to vote.
1860
African American postmasters
African Americans worked as postmasters, clerks and carriers beginning in the 1860s — 100 years before the Civil Rights Movement brought about wider opportunity in the American workplace.
The United States Postal Service has a storied history, familiar to many. Our history is the history of America.
Detailed information about the Postal Service and its history can be found in "The United States Postal Service: An American History" at https://about.usps.com/who/profile/history/.
The first known female postmaster in the United Colonies was Mary Katharine Goddard in Baltimore in 1775.
1ST KNOWN
female mail carrier
The first known female mail carrier was Sarah Black, who worked as a mail messenger in Charlestown, MD, in 1845.
1ST KNOWN
African American postmaster
The first known African American postmaster was James W. Mason in Sunny Side, AR, in 1867.
1ST KNOWN
African American carrier
The first known African American mail carrier was James B. Christian in Richmond, VA, in 1869.
1ST AMERICAN
woman on a stamp
The first American woman on a U.S. postage stamp was Martha Washington in 1902.
1ST AFRICAN
American postal inspector
The first known African American postal inspector was Isaac Myers in Baltimore in 1870.
1ST HISPANIC
American on a stamp
The first Hispanic American on a stamp was U.S. Navy Adm. David Farragut in 1903.
1ST NATIVE
American on a stamp
The first Native American on a stamp was Pocahontas in 1907.
1ST AFRICAN
American on a stamp
The first African American on a stamp was educator, author and orator Booker T. Washington in 1940.
1ST FEMALE
postmaster general
The first female postmaster general was Megan J. Brennan, Washington, DC, 2015. Brennan's tenure was Feb. 1, 2015 – June 15, 2020.
1775
first postmaster general
Benjamin Franklin was appointed the first postmaster general by the Continental Congress in 1775.
The Postal Service launched usps.com in 1994.
The U.S. Postal Service Headquarters building is located in Washington, DC, just a few blocks south of the National Mall.
Located in Maryland, the William F. Bolger Center is a premier leadership development and conference center servicing both Postal Service and external clients.
It is the only hotel in the country featuring an on-site Smithsonian Institution exhibit.
Smithsonian- National Postal Museum
1993
National Postal Museum Opens
In 1993, the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum opened. This museum is dedicated to the preservation, study and presentation of postal history and philately.
The first Post Office in America was established in a tavern in Boston in 1639.
Newspapers
and the U.S. Mail
Extra! Extra! American newspapers largely owe their existence to Post Offices. As part of the Post Office Act of 1792, newspapers were permitted to be mailed at extremely low rates. By the start of the 19th century, newspapers made up the bulk of the U.S. Mail.
USPS
Honoring
service men and women
Honoring service members. The Postal Service proudly partners with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to provide burial flags to families of deceased veterans.
In 2024, the Postal Service provided 348,285 burial flags.
The U.S. Postal Service upholds its promise to deliver the nation’s Election Mail securely and on time, consistent with the organization’s non-partisan public service mission.
It’s not just any letter or package. It’s a picture of the kids. It’s a handmade scarf. It’s a favorite candy bar. It’s a pair of socks. It’s a piece of home. The Postal Service helps make sure these very special letters and packages make it to those who serve in the military — and their families with them — wherever they are around the globe.
The history of the Postal Service is a large story set on a broad canvas. It is intertwined with the history of America, and it provides a lens from which to observe the evolution of the United States. This story is told beautifully in "The United States Postal Service: An American History" (also known as Pub. 100).
More than 1,400 USPS-owned buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
1971
first female inspectors
In 1971, the Postal Inspection Service became one of the first federal law enforcement organizations to hire female agents.
The U.S. Postal Service has no official motto. Nope, it’s not this phrase: “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” But we certainly appreciate the sentiment.
The Postal Service traces its origin to 1775, when Benjamin Franklin was appointed as the first postmaster general of the United Colonies. His annual salary was $1,000. From 1872 to 1971, the postmaster general was a presidential Cabinet member.
USPS Operation Santa. This program is in its 113th year of operation and relies solely on random acts of kindness and the generosity of strangers. In 2024, millions of people visited uspsoperationsanta.com. Generous customers adopted letters written to Santa and fulfilled wishes, helping families and children experience the magic of the season when they might not have otherwise, one letter to Santa at a time.
Trademarks
The Sonic Eagle Logo, the trade dress of USPS packaging, the Letter Carrier Uniform and the Postal Truck and the following marks are among the many trademarks owned by the United States Postal Service: Click-N-Ship®, Deliver The Win®, EDDM®, ePostage®, Every Door Direct Mail®, Express Mail®, First-Class™, First-Class Mail®, First-Class Package International Service®, Forever®, Global Express Guaranteed®, IMb®, Informed Delivery®, Intelligent Mail®, Label Broker™, Parcel Select®, P.O. Box™, Post Office®, Pony Express®, Postal Inspection Service™, PostalOne!®, Postal Police®, #PostalProud®, Priority Mail Express International®, Priority Mail Flat Rate®, Priority Mail International®, Priority: You®, Registered Mail™, Standard Mail®, The Postal Store®, United States Postal Inspection Service®, United States Postal Service®, U.S. Mail®, U.S. Postal Inspector™, U.S. Postal Service®, USPS®, USPS BlueEarth®, USPS Mobile®, USPS Operation Santa®, USPS Tracking®, usps.com®, We are people delivering to people™, ZIP+4® and ZIP Code™. This is not a comprehensive list of all Postal Service trademarks.
Non-Postal Trademarks
Dollar General®, Forest Stewardship Council®, How2Recycle®, McDonald’s®, National Dog Bite Prevention Week®, Starbucks®, Subway®, Sustainable Forestry Initiative®, The Climate Registry®.
Postal Facts 2024 provides the public with information about the U.S. Postal Service. The facts in this publication may be reproduced for the purpose of stating the fact itself, in a business, informational or academic context and the like, and in the body of text discussing factual subject matter relevant to the fact being presented. However, these facts may become outdated after publication and seeking the latest information is advised.
Produced by U.S. Postal Service Corporate Communications
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