Constitution Day originally began in 1939 with the suggestion of a holiday to celebrate American Citizenship. President Harry Truman then declared that the third Sunday of May become I am American Day. A decade later, 1953, President Dwight Eisenhower changed the date to coincide with the signing of the Constitution and renamed it Citizenship Day. Constitution or Citizenship Day is observed annually on September 17th, the same day as the US Constitution was signed in 1787.
Interesting facts about the Constitution:
• The Constitution is a short document with only 4,543 words before the amendments. In contrast, the Bible is approximately 20 times longer, while Harry Potter has approximately 70,000 more words. Of all international constitutions written, the U.S. Constitution is the oldest and shortest.
• More than 11,000 amendments have been proposed in Congress. However, only 27 amendments received approval to become official amendments to the Constitution.
• Readings of the Constitution and its meanings have led to key Supreme Court decisions, including the right to a public defender, Miranda rights, and the rejection of segregation in schools.
To get involved in Constitution Day, read the Constitution of the United States and understand your rights. The Constitution is only a few pages in length and well-organized. Additionally, get involved with civic education programs such as the Civics Renewal Network, found at https://www.civicsrenewalnetwork.org/
For more information on the constitution and events occuring on Constitution Day, visit http://www.constitutionday.com/