Constitution Day and Citizenship Day
September 17, 2022
September 17 is Constitution Day and Citizenship Day!
Hey! Did you know that 235 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.
Constitution Day & Citizenship Day Resources and Activities
Celebrate with the National Constitution Center:
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Preamble Reading: 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Happy Constitution Day! Let’s read the Preamble to the Constitution together as We the People in front of the new inspiring First Amendment tablet overlooking Independence Mall. -
Constitution Day Naturalization Ceremony: 9:30 a.m.
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. -
Judges on Judging Event: 11:00 a.m.
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.