Richard Wright Stamp
Release date:
April 9, 2009, in Chicago IL
Art director Carl Herrman worked with artist Kadir Nelson on the Richard Wright stamp. Nelson based his background artwork on a photograph taken in 1941 by Russell Lee — part of the Farm Security Administration's photography project in Chicago. "The neighborhood depicted in this photograph reminded me of a scene from Wright's novel Native Son," Nelson explains. "And its composition fit almost perfectly with the sketch I had prepared for the stamp. The original photograph shows the same neighborhood and tenements in the background without any snow. I felt that adding the snow added drama to the setting and also referenced a dramatic scene from the novel."
First Day of Issue Cancellation
Although Wright was a celebrated author, he was also controversial, and his legacy has been debated by literary critics. Works such as Native Son, Uncle Tom's Children and The Outsider powerfully comment on racial themes, especially the wrestle with black identity. The primary image of the cancellation is of a portrait inside a portrait inside a house—intending to evoke the question of racial identity without visual commentary. Designer Greg Breeding incorporated the icons of David Diaz, who has illustrated covers of recent editions of Wright's Black Boy and Native Son. The graphic striking element is intended to suggest a smoldering fire—indicative of the impact of Wright's work on culture.