Pete Seeger

Series: Music Icons

First Day of Issue Date: July 21, 2022

First Day of Issue Location: Newport, RI

Pete Seeger (1919–2014) appears on this new stamp in the Music Icons series. Generations of fans regard him not just as a folk singer but also as a folk hero.

The stamp art features a color-tinted black-and-white photograph taken in the early 1960s by Dan Seeger, the performer’s son. Pete Seeger is shown in left profile, singing and playing his iconic banjo. The stamp pane is designed to resemble a vintage 45 rpm record sleeve. One side of the pane includes the 16 stamps, the image of a sliver of a record seeming to peek out the top of the sleeve, and a short verso text. On the reverse is a larger version of the stamp-art photograph, the words “Pete Seeger FOLK SINGER,” and the logo for the Music Icons series.

Born in New York to musician parents, Seeger intuitively took to any musical instrument put within his reach. Rural Southern folk music he heard during early family travels, and the five-string banjo that characterized it, would define his long career.

During the Great Depression, he roamed America seeking regional music. On his travels, he met Woody Guthrie, who became a mentor. They organized the Almanac Singers, who tunefully promoted labor unions, then patriotic songs as war loomed. After World War II, Seeger formed a quartet, the Weavers, whose first record, “Goodnight, Irene,” became the number one song of 1950.

Seeger popularized songs from Americana such as “Michael Row the Boat Ashore,” and obscure imported gems like “Wimoweh.” His own compositions, such as “If I Had a Hammer,” had folk themes and were infused with sing-along catchiness. As adapted by Seeger, “We Shall Overcome” became the civil rights movement’s anthem. Recorded by other artists, Seeger-composed hits included “Turn! Turn! Turn!” and “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?”

Raising his family in Beacon, New York, in a log cabin they built on a mountainside overlooking the Hudson River, Seeger became alarmed by its intensifying water pollution. To publicize the problem, he spearheaded efforts to build a tall-masted wooden boat like those of past centuries. Five decades later, the sloop Clearwater is still the working centerpiece of an effective environmental program and a model for other programs worldwide.

The stamp project was designed by art director Antonio Alcalá. Dan Seeger’s photograph was color-tinted by Kristen Monthei.

The Pete Seeger stamp is being issued as a Forever® stamp. This Forever stamp will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail® one-ounce price.

First Day of Issue Ceremony Video

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Sheet of 16 Stamps

With the newest stamp in the Music Icons series, the U.S. Postal Service honors Pete Seeger, who celebrated the unifying power of voices joined in song to address social issues.

$10.08

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First Day Cover

Honor a famous singer, songwriter, and activist with this new Pete Seeger First Day Cover. The #6 ¾ envelope bears an affixed Forever® stamp cancelled with an official First Day of Issue postmark.

Pete Seeger revived and championed traditional American music. He also promoted the unifying power of voices joined in song to address social issues. The photograph on the stamp was taken by the musician’s son in the early 1960s.

The pictorial postmark evokes Seeger’s famed five-string banjo. Also included is the stamp title, as well as the date and location of stamp issuance: July 21, 2022, Newport, RI, 02840.

$1.15

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Digital Color Postmark

Honor a famous singer, songwriter, and activist with this new Pete Seeger Digital Color Postmark First Day Cover. The #6 ¾ envelope bears an affixed Forever® stamp cancelled with an official First Day of Issue postmark.

The digital color postmark evokes Seeger’s famed five-string banjo. Also included is the stamp title, as well as the date and location of stamp issuance: July 21, 2022, Newport, RI, 02840.

$2.00

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Press Sheet with Die Cuts

Honor a famous singer, songwriter, and activist with this new 21.25 x 21.25-inch press sheet, containing nine sheets of Pete Seeger Forever® stamps positioned three across by three down.

$90.72

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Press Sheet without Die-Cuts

Honor a famous singer, songwriter, and activist with this new 21.25 x 21.25-inch press sheet, containing nine sheets of Pete SeegerForever® stamps positioned three across by three down.*

*The stamps on these sheets do not contain perforations for mail use.

$90.72

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Framed Stamp

Honor a famous singer, songwriter, and activist with this new 12.5(w) x 15.5(h)-inch framed piece, which features the art from the Pete Seeger stamp, plus a mounted Forever® stamp and the First Day of Issue details.

Presented in a classic black frame, the piece also includes a clear dust cover, protective felt bumpers, and a sawtooth hanger on the back for easy display.

$39.95

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Stamp Ceremony Memento

Honor a famous singer, songwriter, and activist with this new Pete Seeger Stamp Ceremony Memento.

This new collectible contains the First Day of Issue Ceremony Invitation, the First Day of Issue Ceremony Program, a Digital Color Postmark First Day Cover, and a pane of 16 Pete Seeger Forever® stamps.

$25.95

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Stamp Portfolio

Honor a famous singer, songwriter, and activist with this new Pete Seeger stamp portfolio.

Generations of fans regard Pete Seeger not just as a folksinger, but also a folk hero. Learn about Seeger’s life and music, and discover the story behind the stamps. This portfolio also includes a 5(w) x 7(h)-inch collectible cancellation card and a mint pane of 16 Forever® stamps.

$21.95

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Poster

Honor a famous singer, songwriter, and activist with this new screen-printed 12 x 24-inch poster. Its bright colors and fluid patterns evoke the style of 1960s folk art. This collectible keepsake includes an affixed Pete Seeger Forever® stamp.

$19.95

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American Commemorative Panel

Honor a famous singer, songwriter, and activist with this new American Commemorative Panel. This 8 ½ x 11 ¼-inch panel, printed on sturdy card stock, features an image of Seeger, and includes a narrative about his journey from folk singer to folk hero.

The collectible panel is accompanied by a block of four Pete Seeger Forever® stamps in a protective acetate mount.

The panel features an intaglio-printed component designed specifically for the American Commemorative Panels® program.

Quantities are limited.

$11.95

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Folk Music Legend Pete Seeger Commemorated On U.S. Stamp

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Folk Singer, Activist Pete Seeger, Appears on Postage Stamp

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Pete Seeger

Stamp Brief