The History of Constitution Day
On September 17th, 1787, the delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution of the United States, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Constitution Day is an American federal observance that recognizes the adoption of the United States Constitution and those who have become citizens of the United States.
Iowa first recognized Constitution Day in 1911. The Sons of the American Revolution formed a committee, that included Calvin Coolidge, John D. Rockefeller, and John Pershing, to promote Constitution Day in 1917. William Randolph Hearst through his newspapers in the 1930’s, advocated for the creation of a holiday to celebrate citizenship. At the New York World’s Fair in 1939, the song- “I am an American” was introduced, celebrating pride in being an American citizen, which became very popular. In 1940, the United States Congress designated the third Sunday in May as- “I am an American Day”. By 1949, the governors of all of the United States had issued American Day/Constitution Day proclamations. The United States Congress, in 1952, moved the- “I am an American Day” observation to September 17th and renamed it- “Citizenship Day”.
The law establishing the Constitution Day holiday was created in 2004 with the passage of an amendment by the United States Senator from West Virginia, Robert Byrd. When Constitution Day falls on a weekend or on another holiday, schools and other institutions observe the holiday on an adjacent weekday. President Donald Trump reaffirmed September 17th, 2017, as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day.
The Constitution of the United States – https://www.therealmjtheterrible.com/the-constitution-of-the-united-states/
The History of Flag Day – https://www.therealmjtheterrible.com/the-history-of-flag-day/
