About This Stamp
Since the first observance of Earth Day 50 years ago on April 22, 1970, people have come together annually on that date to raise awareness about the natural world. Every year, millions of Americans mark the anniversary by celebrating the importance of protecting the environment.
The stamp features art director Antonio Alcalá’s painting of Earth, which he created with gouache on watercolor paper. Ricky Altizer was the typographer. The design also features small green lines surrounding the planet. The title of the stamp runs across the top and the words “Forever” and “USA” appear along the bottom.
On April 22, 1970, America celebrated the first national Earth Day. All over the country, millions of people young and old joined together to rally against pollution. Earth Day quickly developed into an annual tradition. As time passed, educating children about the environment became a priority. Now, Earth Day is also a time when businesses showcase new environmental goods and services. Today, it remains an important way for Americans and people around the world to recognize the importance of the planet.
Earth Day is being issued as a First-Class Mail® Forever® booklet of 20 stamps. This Forever stamp will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce price.
Stamp Artist, Stamp Art Director, Stamp Designer
Antonio Alcalá
Antonio Alcalá served on the Postmaster General’s Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee from 2010 until 2011, when he left to become an art director for the U.S. Postal Service's stamp development program.
He is founder and co-owner of Studio A, a design practice working with museums and arts institutions. His clients include: the National Gallery of Art, Library of Congress, National Portrait Gallery, National Museum of Women in the Arts, The Phillips Collection, and Smithsonian Institution. He also lectures at colleges including the Corcoran College of Art + Design, SVA, Pratt, and MICA.
In 2008, his work and contributions to the field of graphic design were recognized with his selection as an AIGA Fellow. He has judged international competitions for the Society of Illustrators, American Illustration, AIGA, and Graphis. Alcalá also serves on the Smithsonian National Postal Museum and Poster House Museum’s advisory councils. His designs are represented in the AIGA Design Archives, the National Postal Museum, and the Library of Congress Permanent Collection of Graphic Design.
Alcalá graduated from Yale University with a BA in history and from the Yale School of Art with an MFA in graphic design. He lives with his wife in Alexandria, Virginia.
Typographer
Ricky Altizer
Ricky Altizer is a graphic designer whose experience includes print, digital, and motion projects from concept to production. He has worked at Studio A in Alexandria, Virginia, since 2016, involved in the design of books, museum exhibits, and U.S. postage stamps.
Altizer completed work for a BFA in Graphic Design from George Washington University’s Corcoran School of the Arts & Design in May 2017. Previously, he had worked in technology start-ups in education and music in Greenville, South Carolina, and Brooklyn, New York.
Open to new experiences and thriving on collaborative efforts, Altizer is partial to projects that create better experiences for people. After hours, he enjoys concerts, museums, and spending time with his community in Washington, D.C., and surrounds.
Altizer's projects for the U.S. Postal Service include Honoring First Responders (2018) and Earth Day (2020).