From Benjamin Franklin to the modern era: the evolving power of the Postmaster General

Cultures · Published 30 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Once a powerful Cabinet member and political kingmaker, the Postmaster General has undergone a radical transformation. From the era of patronage and political spoils to an independent agency leader, the history of this office reveals the shifting mechanics of American governance.

The office of the Postmaster General predates the United States itself. In 1775, the Continental Congress appointed Benjamin Franklin to the role, a position he had already held under the British Crown. Following the formal establishment of the U.S. Post Office Department in 1789, the role evolved significantly through various political eras.

For much of the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Postmaster General was a prominent member of the President's Cabinet. Between 1829 and 1971, the office holder was appointed by the President with Senate approval. During certain periods, such as the years between the 1883 Pendleton Act and the 1939 Hatch Act, the position was a central pillar of political patronage. Leaders like James Farley, serving under Franklin D. Roosevelt, wielded immense influence by managing party resources.

The role was often used as a reward for political loyalty. Figures like Arthur Summerfield, W. Marvin Watson, and Lawrence O'Brien served as Postmasters General after playing pivotal roles in the campaigns of Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson, respectively. This era of the office as a political sinecure began to fade with the reorganization of the agency.

A major structural shift occurred in 1971 when the Post Office Department was reorganized into the independent U.S. Postal Service. This change removed the Postmaster General from the President's Cabinet and the line of presidential succession. Today, the Postmaster General is no longer appointed by the President, but is instead selected by the USPS Board of Governors. The current leader, David P. Steiner, was appointed to the role on July 15, 2025.

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