The special dedication of the Marvin Gaye Stamp is taking place Tuesday, May 7 at the African Burial Ground at 290 Broadway.
The dedication is being hosted by the National Park Service, in collaboration with The Black Women’s Leadership Caucus, Inc. (BWLC), United States Postal Service (USPS), and the Ebony Society of Philatelic Events and Reflections (ESPER).
“The Postal Service is honored to recognize Marvin Gaye, the Motown legend, with a stamp on his birthday in this venue that held a special place in his heart,” said Gary R. Barksdale, chief postal inspector, U.S. Postal Service, and the stamp ceremony’s dedicating official. “Known as the ‘Prince of Soul,’ Gaye was a man whose timeless music was a true catalogue of human emotions that inspired, informed and entertained the world.”
The artwork for the stamp features a portrait of Gaye inspired by historic photographs. Gaye’s name appears vertically on the right side of the stamp. “USA” and the Forever denomination are in the top left.
Art director Derry Noyes worked on the stamp pane with artist Kadir Nelson.
A first-day-of-issue event for the stamp was held earlier this month in Los Angeles at the Greek Theatre on what would have been Gaye’s 80th birthday.
The stamp dedication in New York is free and open to the public.