African Americans in America’s Postal Service

The National Postal Museum is observing Black History Month with an online history of African Americans in the Postal Service.

The article, written by Deanna Boyd and Kendra Chen, begins with an accounting of the use of slaves to transport mail in antebellum America. The article continues by tracing the relationship between African Americans and the Postal Service through the beginning of the 21st century.

Along the way are accounts of the Postal Service’s first African-American Postmaster (Minnie Cox, Indianola, MS), and the first African-American letter carrier (John Curry, Washington, DC).

To read the entire article, click here.