What Is National Constitution Day?

On September 17,1787 after months of deliberation a hard-won majority of delegates present at the Philadelphia Convention signed what would forever change the course of American history: the Constitution.

The Constitution of the United States is a living document that is central to our national identity. Because of the Constitution’s significance, Congress ordained that September 17 be known as Constitution Day. According to an amendment to an appropriations bill introduced in 2004 by Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia, all educational institutions that receive federal funding must provide Constitution related programming on September 17th (or the closest weekday to the 17th).

Constitution Day is designed to celebrate the revolutionary governing model established by the Founders. That model has withstood the test of time by expanding at critical junctures the rights and liberties of citizens to ensure that the stirring words of the Preamble, which begins “We the People,” apply to all.