A series of five Forever stamps commemorating lowrider culture was unveiled Saturday in San Francisco during a ceremony that also featured a classic car show.
The public celebration at the U.S. Postal Service’s Bayview branch also featured live music, a performance by the Indigenous group Danza Azteca Xitlalli-Xolotl and food from local vendors.
The stamps signify a cultural shift in the portrayal of the classic cruisers, introduced in the 1940s and long associated with California’s working-class Chicano community. Once associated with poverty and the target of law enforcement, lowriders are now seen as a vital American art form and are prized by car enthusiasts.
“This isn’t just about a stamp; it’s about respect,” Roberto Hernández, founder and president of the San Francisco Lowrider Council, said in a statement promoting the stamp rollout. Hernández helped unveil the new stamps Saturday.
From left: Roberto Hernández, president of the San Francisco Lowrider Council; Humberto “Beto” Mendoza, artist of the lowrider Forever stamps; and David Gonzales, creator of the Homies toy line. (Courtesy of Angelita Peter)
Symbols of creativity and pride, lowriders feature colorful designs, sparkling chrome, luxurious interiors, and lowered suspensions and hydraulic systems that can be directed to hop, dance and lift at the touch of a button.
The five stamps were designed by Antonio Alcala using photos by Humberto “Beto” Mendoza and Philip Gordon, with pinstriping by Danny Alvarado. The illustrations include a 1946 Chevrolet Fleetline; 1958, 1963 and 1964 Chevrolet Impalas; and a 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme.
The Forever stamps were available for purchase Saturday along with a cancellation commemorating the rollout. They have been issued in panes of 15 and will always be equal in value to the postage price for a 1-ounce, first-class letter, currently 78 cents.
This article originally published at Lowriders, once lowbrow, forever honored as vehicles for creativity at S.F. stamp rollout.