In his too brief life, martial artist and movie star Bruce Lee had a huge stamp on the lives of Asian men and now you can put his stamp on your mail.
In a move that feels like it’s been decades in the making, the United States Postal Service officially inducted Bruce Lee into its permanent collection this week. At a packed ceremony at Seattle’s historic Nippon Kan Theater—just a stone's throw from where Lee first began teaching his philosophy of "being like water"—the USPS unveiled the 2026 Forever Stamp.More than just an action star
For the Asian American community, this isn't just about a movie star. It’s about visibility. As Views From the Edge has tracked for years, the fight for representation in media started with the trail Lee blazed in the 1960s and 1970s.
“Bruce Lee was mesmerizing to watch. Unlike the theatrical, acrobatic kung fu that came before, his movements were economical, explosive and real,” said Ben Kuo, the Postal Service’s senior vice president of facilities and infrastructure, who spoke at the ceremony.
"He wasn't just a martial artist; he was a philosopher who forced the world to look at an Asian man as a hero, a leader, and a human being," said one attendee at the Seattle launch.
Before Lee's rise in the early 1970s, Asian men in Western media were typically relegated to "emasculated" roles such as bumbling servants, desexualized "nerds," or villainous "Fu Manchu" archetypes.
FYI: The Bruce Lee Forever® stamp, released on February 18, 2026, can be purchased for $15.60 per sheet of 20 through the USPS Postal Store website, by calling 844-737-7826, or at local post offices nationwide. The commemorative stamp is also available via the USPS Officially Licensed Collection on Amazon.
The design
The stamp itself, designed by Kam Mak, captures that kinetic energy we all remember. Its aThe Look: A black-and-white tempera painting of Lee mid-air in his signature flying kick. The background features a bold yellow brushstroke, a nod to the jumpsuit that became a global symbol of defiance in Game of Death.
In a clever bit of typography, the words "BRUCE LEE" appear to be shattering under the force of his kick..
It was only fitting that the launch happened in the Pacific Northwest. Seattle is where Lee found his personal and martial arts footing, met his wife Linda, and where he now rests at Lake View Cemetery.
His daughter, Shannon Lee, was on hand to remind the crowd that her father’s legacy wasn't just about the "fists of fury," but about the mental strength required to break through the racial "bamboo ceilings" of 1960s Hollywood.
Enter Bruce Lee
He first entered America's concsiousness in the one-season Green Hornet TV series where he played Kato, the loyal sidekick. While the show was not good enough for another season, Lee's prowess as a martial artist stole every fight scene from the Green Hornet and introduced a new Asian man to America.
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| In breaking old stereotypes, Bruce Lee created another: the iconic martial artist. |
Unfortunately, Hollywood didn't catch on to the significance of Lee's popularity with the younger generation. He still found the major studio doors closed to the concept of an Asian being a leading man.
That's why he left Hollywood for Hong Kong where his martial arts movies -- Game of Death, The Big Boss, The Way of the Dragon and Fists of Fury -- were wildly popular. Of course, the success of those films led to a collaboration with Warner Brothers to produce Enter the Dragon, the movie that reintroduced the martial artist icon to American audiences and legions of new fans that kicked off a surge of martial art studios' openings.
Bruce Lee fundamentally shifted the perception of Asian men by replacing decades of demeaning caricatures with an image of physical power, sexual charisma, and defiant agency.
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Before Lee's rise in the early 1970s, Asian men in Western media were typically relegated to "emasculated" roles such as bumbling servants, desexualized "nerds," or villainous "Fu Manchu" archetypes.
Before Lee's rise in the early 1970s, Asian men in Western media were typically relegated to "emasculated" roles such as bumbling servants, desexualized "nerds," or villainous "Fu Manchu" archetypes.
Ironically, while he broke old stereotypes, his success inadvertently created a new one: the expectation that every Asian man in film must be a martial arts expert, a typecasting that actors like Jackie Chan and Jet Li later had to navigate.
Today, Lee remains an enduring icon of pride and strength, particularly cited as a source of resilience for Asian American communities during times of social challenge.
“I think it’s great for him to be recognized by the US Postal Service because a lot of people don’t realize that he was American,” says Shannon Lee. “America really shaped him and in return, he helped shape America.”
Today, Lee remains an enduring icon of pride and strength, particularly cited as a source of resilience for Asian American communities during times of social challenge.
“I think it’s great for him to be recognized by the US Postal Service because a lot of people don’t realize that he was American,” says Shannon Lee. “America really shaped him and in return, he helped shape America.”
EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge.
