Constitution/Citizenship Day

By Staff, 09/17/17 7:07 AM

CONSTITUTION DAY AND CITIZENSHIP DAY

Constitution Day and Citizenship Day is an American federal observance that commemorates the adoption of the Constitution of the United States and those who have become United States citizens.  This day is observed each year on September 17. On this day members of the U.S. Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution in 1787.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Use #ConstitutionDay or #CitizenshipDay to post on social media.

HISTORY

This holiday dates all the way back to 1911 when schools in Iowa first recognized Constitution Day.  Then in 1917, the society known as the Sons of the American Revolution formed a committee to promote Constitution Day. Members of that committee included Calvin Coolidge, John D. Rockefeller, and General John Pershing.

In 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared “I am an American Day” and Congress designated the third Sunday in May to celebrate it.  By 1949, the governors of all 48 states had issued Constitution Day proclamations.  On February 29, 1952, Congress changed the name from “I am an American Day” to “Citizenship Day” and moved its observation to September 17.  In 2004, the day was renamed Constitution Day and Citizenship Day.