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Constitution Day (United States)

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Constitution Day (or Citizenship Day) is an American federal holiday that recognizes the ratification of the United States Constitution, and also recognizes all who have become citizens due to either coming of age or naturalization. It is observed on September 17, the day the U.S. Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution in 1787.[1]

The law establishing the holiday was created in 2004 with the passage of an amendment by Senator Robert Byrd to the Omnibus spending bill of 2004.[2] 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.[3] 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.[4] This holiday is not observed by granting time off work for federal employees.

When Constitution Day falls on a weekend or on another holiday, schools and other institutions observe the holiday on an adjacent weekday.[4] This was the case in 2005, when Constitution Day was generally observed on Friday, September 16[2] and 2006 when the holiday was observed on Monday, September 18.

History

In 1939, William Randolph Hearst advocated, through his chain of daily newspapers, the creation of a holiday to celebrate citizenship.[citation needed] In 1940, Congress designated the third Sunday in May as I am an American Day.

Louisville, Ohio calls itself Constitution Town and credits one of its own for getting the holiday national recognition. In 1952, resident Olga T. Weber petitioned municipal officials to establish Constitution Day, in honor of the ratification of the US Constitution in 1789. Mayor Gerald A. Romary proclaimed September 17, 1952, as Constitution Day in the city. The following April, Weber requested that the Ohio General Assembly proclaim September 17 as state-wide Constitution Day. Her request was signed into law by Governor Frank J. Lausche. In August 1953, she took her case to the United States Senate, which passed a resolution designating September 17-23 as Constitution Week. The Senate and House approved her request and it was signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. On April 15, 1957, the City Council of Louisville declared the city Constitution Town. The Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society later donated four historical markers, located at the four main entrances to the city, explaining Louisville's role as originator of Constitution Day. [5]

The 2007 University of Florida Taser incident occured at an event arranged for Constitution Day.

See also

Notes and References

  1. ^ "Sec. 106. Constitution Day and Citizenship Day". TITLE 36--Patriotic And National Observances, Ceremonies, and Organizations. United States Government. 2006-01-03. Retrieved 2008-08-12.
  2. ^ a b Krache, Donna (2005-09-16). "Constitution Day ushers in mandate to teach the Constitution". CNN. Retrieved 2008-08-12.
  3. ^ "Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005". United States Government. 2004-12-08. Retrieved 2008-08-12.
  4. ^ a b "Notice of Implementation of Constitution Day and Citizenship Day on September 17 of Each Year". United States Department of Education. 2005-05-24. Retrieved 2008-08-12.
  5. ^ "History of Louisville Ohio". Retrieved 2008-08-12.

Online Lessons for K-12 Teachers to Use on Constitution Day 

Our Constitution’s Birthday

(September 17, 2008)

In the year, Seventeen eighty-seven

Those thirty-nine, changed our History

They signed that piece of parchment

The Laws of, the Land of the Free.


In more than two hundred twenty years

It has gone through a few changes

That’s not, an easy thing to get done

For, all of our lives, it rearranges.


The First through Tenth Amendments

Are known as our Bill of Rights

And many times, they were in danger

But, the People, usually won those fights.


Sometimes, those people in power

Try to change them, for their gain

Sometimes they will just ignore them

Like we’ve seen, time and again.


They are our only, real protection

With a high and terrible price to pay

If we don’t keep fighting for them

There’s some, would take them all away.


Other Amendments, Thirteen and Fifteen

Abolished Racial Suffrage and Slavery

Supposed to give promised Rights

To all of those promised, Liberty.


The Sixteenth, allowed for Income Tax

And as we know, it has many a flaw

Some say, that it was never Ratified

That, it was never made, a Legal Law.


The Eighteenth, Prohibition of Alcohol

Which was, another legal blunder

With organized crime borne of it

And, the Rule of Law torn, asunder.


The Nineteenth, said Women could Vote

After a very long, contentious fight

Just look at what those Ladies have done

Since, they got their, American Right.


Then, a Repeal of Prohibition

Came with the Twenty-first

In most places, booze flowed freely

To quench America’s, hearty thirst.


The Twenty-second said, Two Terms

Was, all a President could serve

But, as we know, for some, one

Was one more, than they deserved.


The Twenty-sixth said we could Vote

When reaching Eighteen years of age

Since they could fight and die for us

Every time, we had a War to wage.


Those great words of our Constitution

Have served our Country long, and well

Will they withstand the test of time

Or will History show, our Nation, fell?


If we don’t protect them with our life

If we bow to those powers that, be

If we let them twist those words around

One sad day, we’ll be no longer, Free.


We can’t let our precious Bill of Rights

Fail, to protect us all, as they must do

We can’t let one man, or group of men

Twist them into something, they construe.


Though, our Constitution is not perfect

Our Founding Fathers knew, this so

And, “In God We Trust”, is not enough

Our Freedom depends, on where, we go.


We must each, defend those Freedoms

From outside foes, and those, within

It’s, We, the People, wield the power

To lose this battle, which, we must, win.


So, On this Constitution Day

Let’s each, pay the price we owe

To uphold those words of Wisdom

Penned upon that parchment, long ago.


Del "Abe" Jones

abeabe@att.net

09.16.2008

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