The Harvey Milk Forever stamp is an official 2014 USPS commemorative. It honors the San Francisco supervisor and civil-rights leader with a Daniel Nicoletta photograph, a restrained pride-flag accent and a pane format of 20 stamps.
Harvey Milk stamp facts
| Issue date and city | May 22, 2014; Washington, DC |
|---|---|
| USPS item | 472000 |
| Original denomination | 49-cent Forever commemorative |
| Format | Pressure-sensitive pane of 20, one vertical design |
| Designer and art director | Antonio Alcalá |
| Photographer | Daniel Nicoletta |
| Print quantity | 30 million stamps |
Who was Harvey Milk?
Milk won election to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977 and became one of the first openly gay elected officials in the United States. His advocacy emphasized representation, equality and public service. Milk and Mayor George Moscone were assassinated on November 27, 1978. President Barack Obama posthumously awarded Milk the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.
What the stamp design shows
The central image is a circa-1977 black-and-white photograph by Daniel Nicoletta showing Milk in front of his Castro Street camera store. Antonio Alcalá placed a narrow vertical strip of gay-pride colors at the upper left. The reverse of the pane includes a brief biography and identifies licensing by the Harvey Milk Foundation.
Why it appears in Pride stamp searches
USPS did not title the issue “Pride.” It is officially the Harvey Milk stamp, but its subject and pride-flag accent make it the clearest official USPS issue for many LGBTQ Pride searches. Decorative labels and custom stickers using Milk’s image are not automatically valid postage.
Can it still be used for postage?
Yes. A genuine, unused Harvey Milk Forever stamp still covers the current domestic First-Class Mail one-ounce letter rate. Its original 49-cent sales price does not cap its value. Add postage if the mailpiece exceeds the qualifying weight, size or machinability rules.
Collector identification checklist
- One vertical black-and-white portrait design with a slim pride-color strip.
- Pane of 20, USPS item 472000.
- “FOREVER USA” and the 2014 year mark appear on the stamp.
- The pane back includes Milk’s biography and the Harvey Milk Foundation licensing line.
For broader context, read our Pride-related Forever stamps guide.
Official sources
The USPS stamp announcement provides the issue specifications, credits and pane details. The USPS White House dedication release records the first-day ceremony and biographical context.
Issue facts checked September 2, 2026.