U.S. Postal Service Releases New Stamps Honoring Lowrider Culture

The stamps feature photos of iconic lowrider cars and celebrate the artistry and community behind the lowrider movement.

Mar. 14, 2026 at 5:13am

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The U.S. Postal Service has announced the release of new stamps celebrating lowrider car culture, which is rooted in working-class Mexican American/Chicano communities in the American Southwest. The stamps feature photos of five iconic lowrider cars and were designed to showcase the engineering, artistry, and sense of community behind the lowrider movement.

Why it matters

Lowrider culture has long been an important part of Chicano and Mexican American identity, serving as a way for these communities to express their pride, creativity, and sense of belonging. By honoring lowriders on U.S. postage stamps, the Postal Service is recognizing the cultural significance of this art form and the communities that have nurtured it for decades.

The details

The new stamps feature photos by Philip Gordon and Humberto 'Beto' Mendoza of five different lowrider cars: a 1946 Chevrolet Fleetline, a 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, a 1958 Chevrolet Impala, a 1964 Chevrolet Impala, and a 1963 Chevrolet Impala. The stamps use gothic-style lettering and custom pinstriping to evoke the aesthetic of lowrider culture, and are about one-third wider than typical commemorative stamps to showcase as much detail as possible.

  • The first-day-of-issue ceremony was held on Friday, March 14, 2026 at the Logan Heights Library in San Diego, California.
  • The Lowriders stamps will be issued in panes of 15 and will be available nationwide and online at usps.com as Forever stamps.

The players

Gary Barksdale

The Postal Service's chief postal inspector, who served as the dedicating official at the first-day-of-issue ceremony.

Philip Gordon

A photographer whose work is featured on two of the new lowrider stamps.

Humberto 'Beto' Mendoza

A photographer whose work is featured on three of the new lowrider stamps.

Antonio Alcalá

A USPS art director who designed the stamps to be about one-third wider than typical commemorative stamps in order to show as much detail as possible.

Danny Alvarado

The artist who created the custom pinstriping that appears on each stamp and on the selvage, echoing the intricate decoration associated with lowrider cars.

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What they’re saying

“A lowrider is a masterpiece of engineering and artistry, a rolling canvas of art. They are often painted with murals that tell stories of family, faith, and history.”

— Gary Barksdale, Chief Postal Inspector, U.S. Postal Service

“The lowrider culture is about creating a space to celebrate pride, a sense of belonging and building a community that is always there for each other.”

— Gary Barksdale, Chief Postal Inspector, U.S. Postal Service

“Photography helps honor the hard work that goes into the creation of each car. Using illustrations would possibly be more about the artist's imagination than about actual lowriders.”

— Antonio Alcalá, USPS Art Director

What’s next

The Lowriders stamps will be available nationwide and online at usps.com/shopstamps starting on March 14, 2026.

The takeaway

By honoring lowrider culture on U.S. postage stamps, the Postal Service is recognizing the deep cultural significance of this art form and the vibrant communities that have nurtured it for generations. The stamps showcase the engineering, artistry, and sense of pride and belonging that are central to the lowrider movement.