Constitution Day and Citizenship Day
September 17, 2021
September 17 is Constitution Day and Citizenship Day!
Hey! Did you know that 234 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 recognizing all who have become citizens, by birth or naturalization, of the United States of America.
Please join us this year in virtual 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:
- State of the Union: Civics: 12:00 p.m.
President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen will be joined by leaders from government, education, and cultural institutions, including Dr. William R. Hite, superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia, Louise Dubé, executive director of iCivics, and Sal Khan, founder and CEO of Khan Academy, to discuss the state of civics education in the United States. We will explore the essential skills needed for a robust republic and the tools necessary to promote active and healthy civil discourse in our country today. Panelists will share what their organizations are doing at every level to build guardrails of democracy and support students nationwide. - Judges on Judging: 2:00 p.m.
Judge Marjorie Rendell, Judge Cheryl Ann Krause, and Judge Stephanos Bibas of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit join us to discuss how they approached some of the most significant appellate cases on last term’s docket, including Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L. (2021), Fulton v. City of Philadelphia (2021), and Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. v. Boockvar. The judges will also explain how the federal courts of appeal work, their role in the overall federal courts system. - The Legacy of America’s Founding Fathers: 6:30 p.m.
On the evening of Constitution Day, the National Constitution Center will present a special Constitution Day America’s Town Hall program exploring how to understand the legacy of the American Revolution and the founders in the 21st century. Best-selling historian Gordon Wood will be joined at the National Constitution Center in person by fellow historian Edward Larson and virtually by author Emily Pears and scholar Lucas Morel to discuss Wood’s newest book Power and Liberty: Constitutionalism in the American Revolution. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates.