About This Stamp
In 2017, the U.S. Postal Service® celebrated Ezra Jack Keats' most beloved story: The Snowy Day. Written and illustrated by the celebrated children’s author, it was one of the first prominent 20th-century picture books centered on an African-American child.
The issuance features artwork from The Snowy Day. Each of the four stamps showcases a different illustration of main character Peter exploring and playing in his neighborhood while wearing his iconic red snowsuit. The images include: Peter forming a snowball, Peter sliding down a mountain of snow, Peter making a snow angel, and Peter leaving footprints in the snow. The words “Forever” and “USA” appear across the bottom of each stamp. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamps.
Since The Snowy Day was published in 1962, young readers have enjoyed joining Peter on his winter adventure. In 1963, Keats was awarded the prestigious Caldecott Medal, given annually to the artist of the previous year’s best children’s picture book. The Snowy Day has become a classic; since its release, it has sold millions of copies.
The Snowy Day was issued as a First-Class Mail® Forever® booklet of 20 stamps. These Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce price.
Stamp Art Director, Designer, and Typographer
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.