In a celebration of historic Chicano culture, the United States Postal Service (USPS) partnered with the San Diego Public Library to unveil their new Lowriders Forever® stamp in a “first day of issue” dedication ceremony at the Logan Heights Library on Friday, March 13.  

“First day of issue” ceremonies are held by USPS to mark the official date that a new stamp becomes publicly available. Working with Dr. Alberto López Pulido, founding chair of the Department of Ethnic Studies at the University of San Diego, USPS chose the Logan Heights Library as the ideal location to host the ceremony due to the community’s cultural and historical significance. 

“Chicano culture is an essential part of San Diego’s history and identity,” said Mayor Todd Gloria. “I’m proud that USPS chose our city to unveil these stamps honoring lowrider culture, a powerful expression of art, identity, and community that has shaped our region for generations.”

Designed by USPS art director Antonio Alcalá, the stamps are one-third wider than a typical commemoration stamp size to allow for as much descriptive detail as possible. Alcalá based the designs on photographs of five lowriders, with Los Angeles-based lowrider artist Danny Alvarado adding custom pinstriping. In all, five new stamps were available for purchase in sheets of 15.  

The event was well-attended, with hundreds showing up to hear from USPS and others about the decision behind recognizing the importance of lowriders on a national scale.