BLACK HISTORY MONTH: Music icon Allen Toussaint honored with Black Heritage USPS stamp

Ten years aft his death, the U.S. Postal Service is putting a well-deserved absorption connected New Orleans euphony fable Allen Toussaint by honoring him with a postage stamp successful its 2025 Black Heritage series.

Designed by USPS creation manager Edith Kessler, the stamp is derived from a representation of Toussaint taken successful 2007 by lensman Bill Tompkins.

An influential musician, songwriter and grounds producer, Toussaint created volumes of euphony and near his people connected the industry by representing the distinctive New Orleans benignant of bushed and blues.

New Orleans euphony large Dr. John’s 1973 deed track, “Right Place, Wrong Time,” and “Lady Marmalade,” a 1974 deed by funk stone radical LaBelle were among Toussaint’s astir fashionable euphony productions.

“Responsible for scores of hits crossed aggregate genres,” Toussaint was touted arsenic “one of fashionable music’s large backroom figures,” according to Richard Williams’ 2015 Toussaint obituary successful The Guardian.

In summation to performing, penning songs and producing music, Toussaint was besides a workplace proprietor and a endowment scout.

Toussaint wrote and produced vocalist Ernie K-Doe’s No. 1 deed “Mother-in-Law” successful 1961. Toussaint besides played the memorable soft solo connected the fashionable song. Also successful 1961, helium co-wrote Chris Kenner’s catchy No. 2 Billboard song, “I Like It Like That.”

He penned, arranged and produced Lee Dorsey’s 1966 planetary deed way “Working successful the Coal Mine,” which roseate to apical 10 positions connected euphony charts successful the U.S. and the U.K. In 1970, Toussaint teamed up with Dorsey again, penning and producing the singer’s way “Yes We Can Can.” Famously covered by the Pointer Sisters successful 1973, “Yes We Can Can” was the Grammy Award-winning group’s archetypal deed single.

President Barack Obama awarded Toussaint a 2012 National Medal of Arts successful a White House ceremonial for his euphony achievements.

For much connected the Toussaint stamp, sojourn bit.ly/USPSBlackHeritageStamp2025.