Part of the "Famous Americans" series, this 10-cent stamp was a landmark issue, marking the first time an African American was honored on a U.S. postage stamp. While the first day of issue was at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, where Washington served as the first president, his connection to West Virginia is profound. After the Civil War, a young Booker T. Washington moved with his family to Malden, where he worked in the salt furnaces and coal mines while pursuing an education. It was in Malden that his thirst for knowledge was nurtured, setting him on a path to become one of the most influential figures of his time. He founded the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute (now Tuskegee University) and became a leading voice on race relations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.