The U.S. Postal Service will dedicate a new set of five Forever commemorative stamps celebrating lowrider culture on Friday, March 13, 2026, at 11 a.m. PDT in an outdoor first-day-of-issue event at Logan Heights Library in San Diego, California.
Gary Barksdale, chief postal inspector of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, will serve as the dedicating official for the free, public ceremony. Attendees are encouraged to register in advance at https://www.usps.com/lowridersstamps. The announcement uses the hashtag #LowridersStamps to share news.
The stamps honor lowrider automobiles—customized vehicles known for gliding low and slow, then hopping or bouncing via hydraulic systems. Rooted in 1940s working-class Mexican American/Chicano communities across the American Southwest, lowriders serve as rolling artistic canvases with elaborate paint, luxurious interiors, and public displays of cultural pride. This art form, now recognized at institutions like the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and emulated globally, blends mechanical innovation with community expression.
The stamps feature photographs of five distinct lowriders, presented in a pane of 15:
- Top left: a blue 1958 Chevrolet Impala named “Eight Figures,” photographed by Humberto “Beto” Mendoza.
- An orange 1964 Chevrolet Impala named “The Golden Rose,” also by Mendoza.
- A green 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme named “Pocket Change,” photographed by Philip Gordon.
- A blue 1946 Chevrolet Fleetline named “Let the Good Times Roll/Soy Como Soy,” by Gordon.
- A red 1963 Chevrolet Impala named “El Rey,” by Mendoza.
USPS art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamps using these existing photos. Danny Alvarado contributed the pinstriping that enhances the designs, echoing the detailed decoration typical of celebrated lowriders. The stamps measure one-third wider than standard commemoratives to showcase intricate details.
As Forever stamps, they will always equal the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce postage rate, regardless of future increases.
The issuance fits USPS’s 2026 program highlighting American culture, alongside stamps for figures like Muhammad Ali, Bruce Lee, and themes like Route 66’s centennial. Lowriders represent a vibrant expression of identity, engineering, and artistry from Southwestern communities.
This dedication spotlights a cultural tradition with deep regional ties in the Southwest, bringing national recognition through postage while inviting collectors and enthusiasts to the San Diego event.