He was the first African-American on a U.S. Postage Stamp

Booker T. Washington was the first African-American on a U.S. Postage Stamp, which is one of the most interesting facts about Booker T. Washington. Washington received an honorary master's degree from Harvard University in 1896 in recognition of his contributions to American culture. In 1901, Dartmouth College awarded him an honorary doctorate. Booker T. Washington made history on April 7, 1940, when he became the first African American to appear on a US postal stamp. The stamp was a part of the Famous Americans Series issued by the Postal Service. As the first significant ocean-going vessel to have an African American name, the liberty ship Booker T. Washington was christened in his honor in 1942. He was shown in 1946 on the Booker T. Washington Memorial Half Dollar, which the US issued until 1951. He became the first African American to appear on an American coin as a result.

In 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt stated that Booker T. Washington deserved to be considered for inclusion in the Famous Americans series after receiving several requests for a stamp honoring him throughout the 1930s. For the 100th anniversary of his birth, the Postal Service again honored Washington in 1956 with a stamp that featured a picture of the log home where he was born.