Voice News Service
Muhammad Ali — boxing champion, humanitarian and global icon — has been honored with two commemorative Forever stamps issued by the U.S. Postal Service in 2026, fulfilling a longtime dream of “The Greatest.”
The USPS announced the stamps went on sale January 15 in Louisville, KYwith a first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony.
The stamps feature a 1974 photograph of Ali in his signature boxing stance and were designed by USPS art director Antonio Alcalá. Two versions were released, using the same image in different layouts and color treatments, with “ALI” and “THE GREATEST” prominently displayed.
Ali once joked that such an honor was inevitable, famously saying, “I should be a postage stamp, because that’s the only way I’ll ever get licked.” Officials with the Muhammad Ali Center say they have worked for years to see that vision realized.
Born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. in Louisville, Ali became a three-time heavyweight champion and one of the most influential figures of the 20th century. Beyond the ring, he used his platform to speak out on civil rights, religious freedom, peace and humanitarian causes. In 1998, he was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace, and in 2005 he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Louisville remains central to Ali’s legacy through the Muhammad Ali Center, a downtown museum and cultural hub dedicated to his life and values. The center offers interactive exhibits, educational programming and leadership development focused on confidence, service and social responsibility, attracting visitors from around the world.While some readers may wonder whether Ali’s stamp is part of the USPS Black Heritage series, it is not. The 2026 Black Heritage stamp will honor Phillis Wheatley Peters, an 18th-century poet and the first African American to publish a book of poetry. Enslaved as a child, Wheatley achieved international recognition for her work but died in poverty at just 31 years old — a legacy that will be explored more fully in a future story.