Constitution Day and Citizenship Day
Held on or close to September 17th each year
Hey! Did you know that 236 years ago on this day that the U.S. Constitution was signed in Philadelphia?
September 17 is observed as a national holiday to commemorate the signing of the Constitution and to recognize all who have become citizens, by birth or naturalization, of the United States of America.
Please join us this year in commemoration by checking out various online educational resources and activities related to the U.S. Constitution and some helpful links for voter information.
Moravian University's Recognitions and Celebrations
Guest Speaker: Chuck Black
Chuck Black is a regional manager for the non-partisan campus vote project. He is also a PhD student at Temple University and previously served on the Shippensburg University Board of Trustees for six years. The campus vote project is focused on empowering young people on college campuses across the US. Considering the discussion around raising the voting age.
Location: On-Campus (contact rhodess@moravian.edu for more information)
Date: Tuesday, September 26th
Time: 4:00pm
Constitution Day Displays in Reeves Library
In commemoration of the signing of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787, Reeves Library has a display of informative books, pamphlets, postcards, and more. You can also view a digital display set up near the reference desk titled "The US Constitution" from Academic Videos Online.
For more books and articles visit Reeves Library.
Additional Constitution Day Resources:
- General Constitution Day resources [National Archives]
- Constitution Day remarks by Debra Steidel Wall, Acting Archivist of the United States [National Archives]
- NEH Chair Constitution Day Remarks [National Endowment for the Humanities]
- Remarks by Dr. Anthea Hartig, Elizabeth MacMillan Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History [Smithsonian National Museum of American History]
- Civic Engagement [Institute of Museum and Library Services]
National Constitution Day & Citizenship Day Resources and Activities
Celebrate with the National Constitution Center:
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Constitution Day Naturalization Ceremony - Monday, September 18th, 9:30 am
On September 16 we celebrate Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, a holiday meant to honor and celebrate the privileges and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship for both native-born and naturalized citizens. In recognition of this special observance the National Constitution Center hosts an annual Naturalization Ceremony as part of our Constitution Day celebrations, during which 50 immigrants from across the globe will take the Oath of Allegiance to officially become citizens of the United States. The Honorable John R. Padova, senior judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, will preside over the ceremony. National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen will offer remarks, and Dr. Jem Spectar, president of the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown and a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Cameroon, will give the keynote address.
All of the new citizens will be given lifetime memberships to the National Constitution Center. -
Judges on Judging Program - Monday, September 18th, 11:00 am
The Honorable Marjorie Rendell, Cheryl Ann Krause, and Stephanos Bibas, judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, join the National Constitution Center’s Constitution Day celebrations to discuss how judges approach cases, reviewing the seven different methodologies of constitutional interpretation. The judges will also explain how the federal courts of appeal work and their role in the federal court system. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates.