Constitution Week is Sept. 17 -23

Georgette Ward, Mayor David McCauley, and Carolyn Crozier celebrate the upcoming Constitution Week (Sept. 17 -23)with the following proclamation at Buckhannon City Hall, Sept. 6, 2018. Ward & Crozier represent the Elizabeth Zane Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

PROCLAMATION
Constitution Week 2018

Whereas, September 17, 2018 marks the two hundred and thirty-first anniversary of the drafting of the Constitution of the United States of America by the Constitutional Convention; and

Whereas, It is fitting and proper to accord official recognition to this magnificent document and its memorable anniversary; and to the patriotic celebrations which will commemorate the occasion; and

Whereas, Public Law 915 guarantees the issuing of a proclamation each year by the President of the United States of America designating September 17 through 23 as Constitution Week,

NOW, THEREFORE, I, David W. McCauley, Mayor of the City of Buckhannon, West Virginia, do hereby proclaim the week of September 17 -23, 2018 as

CONSTITUTION WEEK

AND ask our citizens to reaffirm the ideals of the Framers of the Constitution had in 1787 by vigilantly protecting the freedoms guaranteed to us through this guardian of our liberties, remembering that lost rights may never be regained.

David W. McCauley

Mayor, City of Buckhannon

WHAT IS CONSTITUTION DAY?

Constitution Day became a national observance in 2004, when Senator Robert Byrd lobbied for a bill designating September 17 as the day for citizens to commemorate the signing of the U.S. Constitution and learn more about our founding document. Senator Byrd once said, “Our ideals of freedom, set forth and realized in our Constitution, are our greatest export to the world.” He added the Constitution Day clause to his 2004 federal spending bill because he believed that all citizens should know about their rights as outlined in the Constitution. This clause mandates the teaching of the Constitution in schools that receive federal funds, as well as federal agencies.

-National Constitution Center

National Constitution Center
525 Arch Street, Independence Mall
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19106
215.409.6700

CELEBRATE THE FOUNDATION OF AMERICA
DAR Promotes Constitution Week

There are two documents of paramount importance to American history: the Declaration of Independence, which forged our national identity, and the United States Constitution, which set forth the framework for the federal government that is still in use today. While Independence Day is a beloved national holiday, fewer people know about Constitution Week, an annual commemoration of the living document that upholds and protects the freedoms central to our American way of life. This year, the annual celebration begins September 17, 2018.

The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) initiated the observance in 1955, when the organization petitioned the U.S. Congress to dedicate September 17–23 of each year to the commemoration of Constitution Week. Congress adopted the resolution, and on August 2, 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed it into Public Law #915. The celebration’s goals are threefold: to encourage the study of the historical events that led to the framing of the Constitution in September 1787; to inform people that the Constitution is the basis of America’s great heritage and the foundation of our way of life; and to emphasize U.S. citizens’ responsibility to protect, defend and preserve the Constitution.

DAR has been the foremost advocate for the awareness, promotion and celebration of Constitution Week. This annual observance provides innumerable opportunities for educational initiatives and community outreach, two mission areas of crucial importance to the National Society’s work. By fostering knowledge of and appreciation for the Constitution and the inalienable rights it affords to all Americans, DAR helps to keep alive the memory of the men and women who secured our nation’s independence, whose bravery and sacrifice made possible the liberties we enjoy today.

“The framers created a Constitution that translated into law the ideals upon which our nation was built,” said DAR President General Ann Dillon. “Their vision was so forward thinking that their words still guide us today. No American history education can be complete without a thorough understanding of the impact the Constitution has had on the lives of American citizens past and present.”

One of the largest patriotic women’s organizations in the world, DAR has more than 185,000 members in approximately 3,000 chapters across the country and even in numerous foreign countries. DAR strives to promote historic preservation, education and patriotism via commemorative events, scholarships and educational initiatives, citizenship programs, service to veterans, meaningful community service, and more. For additional information about DAR and its programs, visit www.dar.org.