NOTRE DAME — The U.S. Postal Service today issued a new Forever stamp honoring Father Theodore M. Hesburgh during a dedication ceremony on the campus of the University of Notre Dame, where he served as president for 35 years.

The stamp art features an oil-on-panel painting of Father Hesburgh standing on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. The portrait is based on a 1980 photograph taken by Notre Dame staff photographer Bruce Harlan. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp with original art by Tim O’Brien.

“The Postal Service is pleased to issue a new Forever stamp honoring Father Theodore Hesburgh, considered one of the most important educational, religious and civic leaders of the 20th century,” said Postmaster General and CEO Megan J. Brennan. “This stamp is a lasting testament to his pioneering contributions as a champion of social justice, an advocate for international aid and an emissary for peace.”

Brennan was joined to dedicate the stamp by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Notre Dame’s president, Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.

In addition, Rev. Austin I. Collins, C.S.C., religious superior of Holy Cross Priests and Brothers at Notre Dame and Rev. Thomas J. O’Hara, C.S.C., provincial superior of the U.S. Province of the Congregation of Holy Cross, participated in the ceremony. Richard “Digger” Phelps, former Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC) member and former Notre Dame basketball head coach, served as emcee.

Background
Ordained into the priesthood of the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1943, Father Hesburgh was appointed to the faculty at Notre Dame in 1945. He became Notre Dame’s 15th president in 1952, a position he held for 35 years, the longest presidential term in the university’s history.

Father Hesburgh spearheaded successful efforts to strengthen the faculty and administration, improve academic standards and increase the university’s endowment.

Appointed to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in 1957, Father Hesburgh helped to compile reports on racial discrimination and the denial of voting rights that resulted in the Omnibus Civil Rights Act of 1964. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom the same year, and he later founded the Center for Civil and Human Rights at Notre Dame.

A champion of causes ranging from education to immigration reform to the plight of underdeveloped nations, Father Hesburgh worked with a number of organizations that reflected his beliefs, including the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, the National Science Board, the Overseas Development Council and the Select Committee on Immigration and Refugee Policy.

In 1987, Father Hesburgh stepped down as Notre Dame’s president, devoting his time in retirement to supporting university initiatives, in particular the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, and serving on various boards and presidential commissions.

Father Hesburgh was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2000, one of many awards and honors received during his lifetime.

Followers of the U.S. Postal Service’s Facebook page can view video of the first-day-of-issue ceremony at facebook.com/USPS. The public is asked to share the news on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #FatherHesburgh.

Customers may purchase the Father Theodore Hesburgh Forever stamp at usps.com/stamps, at the Postal Store usps.com/shop, by calling 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724) and at Post Office locations nationwide. A variety of stamps and collectibles also is available at ebay.com/stamps.

Ordering First-Day-of-Issue Postmarks
Customers have 60 days to obtain first-day-of-issue postmarks by mail. They may purchase new stamps at local Post Offices, at the Postal Store usps.com/shop or by calling
800-STAMP-24. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes to themselves or others and place them in envelopes addressed to:

FDOI – Father Theodore Hesburgh Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO  64144-9900

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for postmarks up to a quantity of 50. For more than 50, customers are charged 5 cents each. All orders must be postmarked by Nov. 1, 2017.

Ordering First-Day Covers
The Postal Service also offers first-day covers for new stamps and stationery items postmarked with the official first-day-of-issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the quarterly “USA Philatelic” catalog, online at usps.com/shop or by calling 800-782-6724. Customers may request a free catalog by calling 800-782-6724 or writing to:

U.S. Postal Service
Catalog Request
PO Box 219014
Kansas City, MO  64121-9014

Philatelic Products for this stamp issue are as follows:

Pane of 20
474706, Press Sheet with Die-cut, $58.80.
474710, Digital Color Postmark Keepsake, $11.95.
474716, First-Day Cover, 93-cents.
474721, Digital Color Postmark, $1.64.
474724, Framed Art, $39.95.
474725, Small Framed Art, $14.95.
474730, Ceremony Program, $6.95.
474733, Panel, $10.95.
474734, Stamped Ceremony Memento, $18.95.

Coil of 50
799416, First-Day Cover, 93-cents.
799421, Digital Color Postmark, $1.64.

Many of this year’s other stamps may be viewed on Facebook at facebook.com/USPSStamps or via Twitter @USPSstamps.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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