The U.S. Postal Service honored singer Ella Fitzgerald with the 30th collectible postage stamp in its popular Black Heritage commemorative stamps series.

On 10 January, 2007, the U.S. Postal Service added another collectible postage stamp to its Black Heritage commemorative stamps series with their dedication of the 39-cent Ella Fitzgerald stamp. Fitzgerald, perhaps the most famous female jazz singer in America, appears on the 30th stamp in the popular Black Heritage stamp series.

The Life and Career of Ella Fitzgerald

According to Biography.com, Ella Fitzgerald was born on 25 April, 1917 in Newport News, Virginia.

Turning to music to escape a troubled childhood, Ella Fitzgerald made her public singing debut at the Apollo Theater in 1934. She was soon discovered in an amateur vocal contest in Harlem and joined Chick Webb's band. FItzgerald went on to record several hits with Webb's band, and upon his death in 1939 the band was renamed Ella Fitzgerald and her Famous Orchestra.

By the middle of the 1950s, Fitzgerald had become one of the most popular singers in America, most famously for her series of recordings with Verve. During this prolific period of her career, Fitzgerald recorded three albums with jazz legend Louis Armstrong.

    * Ella and Louis (1956)
    * Ella and Louis Again (1957)
    * Porgy and Bess (1958)

Fitzgerald's work with Louis Armstrong is unmatched in jazz history, resulting in such immortal classics as "Cheek to Cheek", "Makin' Whoppee", "Dream a Little Dream of Me", "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off", "I Get a Kick Out of You", "Summertime", and "It Ain't Necessarily So".

Fitzgerald, known as "The First Lady of Song," won 13 Grammy awards and sold over 40 million albums over a career that lasted more than 50 years.

Ella Fitzgerald died on 15 June, 1996 in her home in Beverly Hills.

USPS Ella Fitzgerald Black Heritage Stamp

As seen in USA Philatelic: Beyond the Perf, Issue 016, with the Ella Fitzgerald issue, the USPS continued its design scheme featuring color portraits for the Black Heritage series. Paul Davis created the portrait for the Fitzgerald stamp.