USPS Cartoonist Charles Schulz Peanuts Forever Postage Stamps

News of the stamps is being shared with the hashtag #CharlesMSchulzStamps and #Schulz100.

“The Postal Service is delighted to unveil its new Forever stamps commemorating the 100th anniversary of Charles M. Schulz’s birth, the beloved creator of ‘Peanuts’… the most popular and influential comic strip in history,” said Luke Grossmann, the Postal Service’s finance and strategy senior vice president, who served as the stamp’s dedicating official.

“This isn’t the first time the Postal Service has featured ‘Peanuts’ characters on postage stamps. Snoopy appeared as the World War I Flying Ace in 2001. And in 2015, we issued stamps to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’—which, like the strip itself, was created with both adults and children in mind,” he said.

“The joy of ‘Peanuts’—combined with the joy of sending and receiving mail—is a wonderful way to commemorate Sparky’s life and the happiness his comic strip continues to bring to the world. From holiday mail to personal collections, we hope these stamps brighten the lives of ‘Peanuts’ fans and stamp collectors alike,” said Jean Schulz, widow of Schulz, referring to the cartoonist by his nickname.

Other participants at the ceremony were Gina Huntsinger, director of the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center, and Paige Braddock, chief creative officer of Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates.

Background

Just days after Schulz’s birth on November 26, 1922, an uncle gave the infant the nickname “Sparky” after the laughable racehorse Spark Plug, a trending character in the newspaper funny pages. The nickname stuck for life, as did Schulz’s connection to comics.

Schulz’s “Peanuts” became the most popular and successful comic strip in the history of the medium. Its characters, including Charlie Brown and Snoopy, became some of the most well-known and beloved characters in all of American art and literature, gaining worldwide adoration through the comic strip itself, as well as books, greeting cards, television, movies, advertising campaigns, a Broadway musical, and countless other media and products.

Charles Monroe Schulz (1922-2000) was born in Minneapolis and grew up in neighboring St. Paul, MN. As an only child, he was promoted from third grade directly to fifth due to his reading ability. This made him younger and smaller than his classmates, leading him to always feel like an outsider and observer. At age 14, Schulz’s first published drawing appeared in the popular newspaper feature “Ripley’s Believe It or Not!” His eccentric pet dog served as the inspiration for Snoopy.

After high school, Schulz continued his art education through a correspondence course based in Minneapolis. When World War II broke out, Schulz was drafted into the Army and served in France and Germany, rising to the rank of staff sergeant. After the war, he returned to the correspondence school, this time as an art instructor. Schulz also worked on lettering comic books and drawing single-panel cartoons for a local newspaper. He sold several cartoons to the Saturday Evening Post as well.

“Peanuts” debuted in seven newspapers on October 2, 1950. Over time, it expanded to over 2,600 newspapers in 75 countries and 21 languages, with 355 million readers worldwide. Charlie Brown and Snoopy were soon joined by Schroeder, Lucy, Linus, and Pigpen. Through its cast of children, the strip found humor in life’s often painful realities, such as insecurity and unrequited love.

In the late 1950s, Charlie Brown’s baby sister, Sally, joined the cast, and Schulz and his growing family moved to Sonoma County, CA, where they eventually built an ice arena in Santa Rosa. (The adjacent Charles M. Schulz Museum opened in 2002.)

As “Peanuts” became a worldwide phenomenon—with beloved TV specials, books, a Broadway show, feature films, and countless consumer products—Schulz introduced additional characters such as Peppermint Patty, Franklin, Marcie, and Snoopy’s bird companion, Woodstock. Charlie Brown and Snoopy were even chosen as morale-building mascots by NASA. In 1969, Apollo 10 astronauts orbited the moon in spacecraft named Charlie Brown and Snoopy.

Schulz’s characters all reflect aspects of the cartoonist’s inner life, rich imagination, and great humanity. Charlie Brown constantly faces defeat and rejection but never loses his determination, whether it’s trying to kick a football or win a baseball game.

For five decades, Schulz tirelessly wrote, drew, inked, and lettered every “Peanuts” strip—nearly 18,000 in total. On February 12, 2000, he passed away after battling cancer. The final installment of “Peanuts,” a farewell from Schulz to his fans and his unforgettable cast of characters, appeared in newspapers the next day.

In addition to the many awards Schulz received during his lifetime, he was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor bestowed by Congress, in 2000. His work continues to be celebrated through the republishing of his extensive body of work.

Stamp Artwork

The stamp artwork is by Schulz, and Greg Breeding served as the designer and art director.

During its five-decade run—from 1950 to 2000— “Peanuts” featured Charlie Brown and his beagle Snoopy. Ten stamp designs on a pane of 20 showcase eleven members of the beloved gang in a celebratory mood.

The first row features six stamps with Charlie Brown wearing his iconic zig-zag-striped shirt. Despite often suffering defeat, he remains the central figure in the cast, reflecting Schulz’s own insecurities and resilience. Lucy Van Pelt, known for her headstrong nature, appears in a blue dress on the second stamp. The third stamp showcases Franklin, introduced to the strip in 1968, wearing a triumphant red t-shirt.

The fourth stamp on the first row features Sally, Charlie Brown’s younger sister, in her pink polka-dotted dress. Sally joined the strip as an infant in 1959. Pigpen, charming and self-assured, is depicted on the fifth stamp surrounded by his perpetual cloud of dust, a layer of dirt, and blue overalls. The sixth stamp showcases Linus, Lucy’s sensitive, intelligent, and capable younger brother, wearing his usual red-and-black-striped shirt.

The four stamps on the second row begin with Snoopy, whose various alter-egos demonstrate Schulz’s imaginative flair. On this stamp, Snoopy’s bird companion, Woodstock, flutters around as Snoopy performs his celebratory dance. Schroeder, often seen obsessively playing the piano, is shown in his purple-and-black-striped shirt on the next stamp.

Peppermint Patty, known for her athleticism and casual demeanor, appears third on the second row, wearing sandals and a vertically-striped green shirt. Her baseball team regularly defeats the hapless team led by “Chuck,” as she calls Charlie Brown. Marcie, Peppermint Patty’s loyal friend with a no-nonsense outlook, is featured on the final stamp of the row. Together, they make a great team.

In the center of the pane, there is a photograph taken by Douglas Kirkland in 1987, featuring the cartoonist himself. The portrait is framed by the characters brought to life by Schulz.