Updated October 2nd: Here are the Scott catalogue numbers:

• 5241 (49¢) Father Ted Hesburgh, serpentine die cut 11
• 5242 (49¢) Father Ted Hesburgh coil stamp, serpentine die cut 9½ horiz.

Updated August 18th:
[USPS press release]
U.S. Postal Service Honoring Father Theodore Hesburgh
Champion of Civil Rights, Other Social Issues and Longtime President of the University of Notre Dame

What:
First-Day-of-Issue dedication ceremony for the Father Theodore Hesburgh Forever stamp. The event is free and open to the public. The U.S. Postal Service will post a video of the event at facebook.com/USPS. Share the news on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #FatherHesburgh.

When: Friday, Sept. 1, 2017, 1:00 p.m.

Where:
Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center
Notre Dame, IN

Who:
Megan J. Brennan
Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer
United States Postal Service

The Honorable Condoleezza Rice
66th Secretary of State of the United States

Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.
President, University of Notre Dame

Rev. Austin I. Collins, C.S.C.
Religious Superior of Holy Cross Priests and Brothers
University of Notre Dame

Rev. Thomas J. O’Hara, C.S.C.
Provincial Superior
Congregation of Holy Cross

Richard “Digger” Phelps
Former Member, Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee

Background:
The Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, (1917–2015), longtime president of the University of Notre Dame, is considered one of the most important academic, religious and civic leaders of the 20th century.

Appointed to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in 1957, 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 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, Hesburgh worked with many 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. An advocate for limiting nuclear arms, he was the Vatican’s representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency from 1956-1970.

Ordained into the priesthood of the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1943, 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. Hesburgh spearheaded successful efforts to strengthen the faculty and administration, improve academic standards and increase the university’s endowment.

In 1987, 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.

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

Updated August 3rd: Surprise! There will also be a coil version of this stamp! From the Postal Bulletin:

On September 1, 2017, in Notre Dame, IN, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Father Theodore Hesburgh stamp (Forever® priced at 49 cents), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 474700) and a PSA coil of 50 stamps (Item 799400). The stamp will go on sale nationwide September 1, 2017.

The Reverend Father Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C. (1917–2015) is considered one of the most important educational, religious, and civic leaders of the 20th century. The stamp art features an oil-on-panel painting (based on a 1980 photograph) of Father Hesburgh standing on the campus of the University of Notre Dame, where he served as president for 35 years. Father Hesburgh was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2000. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp with original art by Tim O’Brien.

Available to Post Offices: Item 474700, Father Theodore Hesburgh (Forever priced at 49 cents) Commemorative PSA Pane of 20 Stamps: Stamp Fulfillment Services will make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices™ of a quantity to cover approximately 30 days of sales.

Not Available to Post Offices: Item 799400, $24.50 Father Theodore Hesburgh (Forever priced at 49 cents) Commemorative PSA Coil of 50 Stamps: Stamp Fulfillment Services will not make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices. These stamp coils will only be available through The Postal Store® website at usps.com/shop or by calling our toll-free number at 800–782-6724.

There is a special postmark that local post offices may use: How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store website at usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-782-6724. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope 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 the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by November 1, 2017.

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, $0.93
• 474721 Digital Color Postmark, $1.64
• 474724 Framed Art, $39.95
• 474730 Ceremony Program, $6.95
• 474733 Panel, $10.95

Coil of 50

• 799416 First-Day Cover, $0.93
• 799421 Digital Color Postmark, $1.64

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Father Theodore Hesburgh Stamp
Item Number: 474700
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail® Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: September 1, 2017, Notre Dame, IN 46556
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Typographer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Artist: Tim O’Brien, Brooklyn, NY
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville, NY
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 15,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag applied
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, PMS 7557c Brown
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 1.42 in/21.34 x 36.07 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.98 x 1.56 in/24.89 x 39.62 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.92 x 7.50 in/150.37 x 190.50 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 11.84 x 22.75 in/300.74 x 577.85 mm
Plate Size: 240 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by five (5) digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: FATHER THEODORE HESBURGH • Plate numbers in two corners of pane
Back: ©2016 USPS • USPS Logo • two barcodes (474700) • Plate Position Diagram • Promotional Text

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Father Theodore Hesburgh Stamp
Item Number: 799400
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Coil of 50 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: September 1, 2017, Notre Dame, IN 46556
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Typographer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Artist: Tim O’Brien, Brooklyn, NY
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville, NY
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Coil: 50
Print Quantity: 2,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag Applied
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, PMS 7557c Brown
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 1.4482 in/21.34 X 36.78 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.98 x 1.5882 in/24.89 x 40.34 mm
Plate Size: 408 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by five (5) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate numbers every 17th stamp below stamp image

Updated March 13th: The USPS confirms this stamp will be issued Friday, September 1st in South Bend, IN.

Updated August 7th: Here are the first-day postmarks: This measures 2.86″ x 1.33″. So does the B&W “hand” (rubber) cancel: There is also a “special” postmark that any post office may use: It measures 2.95″ x 1.44″.

From the USPS, September 20, 2016:

The Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh (1917Ð2015) was an important mid-20th century educational, religious and civic leader. The stamp features an oil-on-panel painting of Father Hesburgh standing on the University of Notre Dame campus, where he served as president for 35 years. Appointed to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in 1957, Father Hesburgh helped compile reports on racial discrimination and the denial of voting rights that resulted in the Omnibus Civil Rights Act of 1964. A champion of causes ranging from education to immigration reform to the plight of underdeveloped nations, Father Hesburgh worked with many important organizations that reflected his beliefs. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp with original art by Tim O’Brien.

The University of Notre Dame’s Facebook Page the day after the USPS announcement said the stamp would be issued “September 1” (a Friday) but the press release to which it linked only says “next fall.” Friday, September 1 is the start of Labor Day Weekend, which might discourage getting a top USPS official for the first-day ceremony. On the other hand, The Fighting Irish football team hosts the Temple Owls the following day, which might make a trip from Washington more attractive.