Clarence Lee Stamps

In 1992, the United States Postal Service (USPS) chose to commemorate the accomplishments of Chinese Americans by issuing a Lunar New Year stamp. The USPS commissioned Hawaiian graphic designer Clarence Lee to create the stamp in celebration of the Year of the Rooster. It was the first stamp ever to feature Chinese characters, and became so popular it reached more than $5 million in sales between both the U.S. and China. Given the stamp’s widespread demand, Lee was commissioned to produce 11 more stamps to complete the full Lunar New Year cycle. In 1966, Lee founded his design firm Clarence Lee Design & Associates. The firm was based in Hawaii and designed logos for many local companies including Royal Kona Coffee, the Hawaii Convention Center, Hawaii Electric Industries, and Northwest Airlines. Lee sold the firm in 2005. Lee passed away at the age of 72. Among his many accomplishments, Lee was also given the opportunity to design a stamp for the Beijing Olympics. His legacy continues to be honored through his work.