Jackie Robinson was featured on a U.S. postage stamp in 1982.
The United States Postal Service issued its first Jackie Robinson stamp on August 2, 1982. The 20-cent stamp honored Robinson as part of the Black Heritage Series, making him the first baseball player to appear on a U.S. postage stamp. Its design showed Robinson in an action pose associated with his daring baserunning.
The stamp recognized more than his statistics. Robinson became MLB’s first African American player of the modern era when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. He later won the 1949 National League MVP Award and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.
Robinson appeared on additional U.S. stamps in 1999 and 2000, which can cause confusion about the original year. The question asks when he was first featured on a U.S. postage stamp, and that answer is 1982.