About U.S. Constitution Day | Constitution Week
Constitution Day and Citizenship Day commemorate the formation and signing of the U.S. Constitution and recognize all who have become citizens by being born in the US or by naturalization. It is observed on September 17, the day the U.S. Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution in 1787.
Constitution Week is an American observance to commemorate the adoption of the United States Constitution. The observance runs annually. Check out our chart of when is Constitution Week is celebrated. It was officially enacted on August 2, 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower from a congressional resolution petitioned by the Daughters of the American Revolution. The purpose of the observance week was to promote study and education about the constitution which was originally adopted by the American Congress of the Confederation on September 17, 1787.
The law establishing Constitution Day was created in 2004. Before this law was enacted, the holiday was known as "Citizenship Day". In addition to renaming the holiday "Constitution Day and Citizenship Day," the act mandates that all publicly funded educational institutions provide educational programming on the history of the American Constitution on that day. In May 2005, the United States Department of Education announced the enactment of this law and that it would apply to any school receiving federal funds of any kind. This holiday is not observed by granting time off work for federal employees.
In 2009, President Barack Obama encourages Federal, State, and local officials, as well as leaders of civic, social, and educational organizations, to conduct ceremonies and programs that celebrate our Constitution and reaffirm our rights and obligations as citizens of our great Nation.
U.S. Constitution Day Activities
Other activities you may be interested in:
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