Constitution Day and Citizenship Day | |
---|---|
Observed by | United States |
Celebrations | Commemorates the formation and signing on September 17, 1787, of the United States Constitution and recognizes all who, by coming of age or by naturalization, have become citizens.[1] |
Date | September 17 |
Frequency | Annual |
Related to | I Am an American Day Constitution Week |
Constitution Day and Citizenship Day is an American federal observance that recognizes the adoption of the United States Constitution and those who have become U.S. citizens. It is normally observed on September 17, the day in 1787 that delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the document in Philadelphia.[1] The United States Congress designated September 17 as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day on February 29, 1952, by joint resolution (36 U.S.C. 106).[2] It begins Constitution Week in the United States, which continues through September 23.
The law establishing the present holiday was modified in 2004 with the passage of an amendment by Senator Robert Byrd to the omnibus spending bill of 2004.[3] Before this law was enacted, the holiday was known as I Am an American Day and Citizenship Day and celebrated on the third Sunday in May. The amendment mandates that all publicly funded educational institutions, and all federal agencies, provide educational programming on the history of the American Constitution on that day.[4] In May 2005, the United States Department of Education announced the enactment of this law and that it would apply to any school receiving federal funds of any kind.[5]
When the event falls on a weekend or on another holiday, schools and other institutions observe Constitution Day and Citizenship Day on an adjacent weekday.[5]