Constitution Day, Citizenship Day, & Voting Rights: Constitution Day, Citizenship Day, & Voting Rights

According to documentation at the Library of Congress at Constitution Day and Citizenship Day the current "Constitution Day and Citizenship Day" had its roots back in 1940 with a joint resolution passed by Congress having the President issue a Proclamation setting aside the third Sunday in May for public recognition for all those who attained American citizenship, as "I Am An American Day.”

In 1952 Congress repealed the 1940 joint resolution and passed a new law moving the date to September 17 to commemorate the September 17, 1787 signing of the Constitution, and still retained the designation of "Citizenship Day" as well.

Effective May 24, 2005, the U.S. Department of Education released a “Notice of Implementation” that federal legislation proposed by West Virginian Senator Robert C. Byrd and passed by Congress requires all educational institutions which receive federal funds from the Department of Education to provide education programs relating to the United States Constitution on September 17 of each year and also requires that head of every federal agency provide each employee with educational and training materials concerning the Constitution on this date as well. For reference, see the Federal Register May 24, 2005 . September 17 commemorates the signing of the Constitution by the Constitution Convention delegates on September 17, 1787.

Harford Community College is celebrating “Constitution Day” on Tuesday September 19, 2023, in accordance with this federal legislation.

Tuesday

September 19, 2023

9:30 AM - 11:00 AM

Hays-Heighe House Room 201 (2nd floor)

Dr. Stephanie Hallock, Professor of Political Science, & Dr. James Karmel, Professor of History, present on "Civil Liberties and the History of the Bill of Rights" 

Steaming Link - tinyurl.com/HCC-ConstitutionDay 

Immediately following from 11 AM - 12 Noon in Hays-Heighe House Room 101 (1st floor) - Carol Powers, Chair of Constitution Week Committees, Governor William Paca Chapter of NSDAR, will lead attendees in an interactive collaborative "28th Amendment Interactive Project"

Constitution Day is a celebration of the formation and signing of the U.S. Constitution by 39 of the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention on September 17, 1787. The date is also designated Citizenship Day to focus on the rights and responsibilities of citizens under the Constitution.

Constitution Day at Harford strives to educate the campus community about the Constitution and citizenship, both historically and as they apply to today's challenges.

CLICK HERE for link to HCC BSS Professor Stephanie Hallock's CONSTITUTION DAY 2020 Prezi Presentation!

CLICK HERE for an INTERACTIVE Constitution!

CLICK HERE to view digital copy of Pocket Constitution from GPO's govinfo.gov​​!

CLICK HERE for the Constitution of the United States Annotated Version at Congress.gov!

CLICK HERE for INTERACTIVE games and printable sheets from "Ben's Guide to the U.S. Government"!

CLICK HERE for VOTER REGISTRATION in HARFORD COUNTY!

CLICK HERE for VOTER SERVICES from the League of Women Voters in Maryland!

CLICK HERE for MARYLAND VOTING and ELECTION TOOLKIT!

CLICK HERE for Voter Registration for Maryland College Students!

CLICK HERE for VIRTUAL EXHIBIT HCC Library's 100th Anniversary of Women's Suffrage and 19th Amendment!

CLICK HERE for VIRTUAL EXHIBIT Atlanta History Center's 100th Anniversary of 19th Amendment!

• Check out www.govinfo.gov  – free public access to official publications from all 3 branches of Federal Government.

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Event Co-Sponsors Include:

Harford Community College Library

Hays-Heighe House

Student Life

Paralegal Student Association

Governor William Paca Chapter of the NSDAR (National Society Daughters of the American Revolution) 

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 Check out these online Constitution resources!

• National Constitution Day Conversation webinar Fri Sept 15, 2023 at 2 PM EST -  hosted by American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU)'s American Democracy Project (ADP) - National Constitution Day Conversation (aascu.org)

• GODORT (Government Documents Round Table) Constitution Day Celebrations Guide: https://godort.libguides.com/Constitutionday/home 
• GODORT (Government Documents Round Table) Government Information for Children Constitution Day resources: https://godort.libguides.com/c.php?g=950499&p=6855370 
• Constitution Day! National Constitution Center: https://constitutioncenter.org/learn/civic-calendar/constitution-day-civic-holiday 
• Constitution Day.com.: http://www.constitutionday.com/
• U.S. Constitution resources at Congress.gov: https://constitution.congress.gov/
• FDLP LibGuides of Constitution Day resources: https://libguides.fdlp.gov/ConstitutionDay 
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services: http://www.uscis.gov/
• Civics and Citizenship Toolkit: http://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/organizations/civics-and-citizenship-toolkit
• Preparing for the Oath: U.S. History and Civics for Citizenship Study Guide for the U.S. Naturalization Test: http://www.americanhistory.si.edu/citizenship/ 
• Constitution Day and Citizenship Day information from the National Archives: http://www.archives.gov/fed-employees/constitution-day.html
• Constitution Questions & Answers Trivia from the National Archives: https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-q-and-a 
• Constitution of the United States at GPO's Govinfo.gov: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-CONAN-2017/pdf/GPO-CONAN-2017.pdf
• America's Historical Documents at National Archives and Records Administration: http://archives.gov/historical-docs/
• "Charters of Freedom" at National Archives and Records Administration: http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/constitution.html
• Teaching with Documents - Observing Constitution Day at National Archives and Records Administration: http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/constitution-day/
• Celebrating Constitution Day with Primary Sources: https://blogs.loc.gov/teachers/2016/09/celebrating-constitution-day-with-primary-sources/ 
• Constitution of the United States (1787): http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=9
• Constitution of the United States at Ben's Guide to the U.S. Government:: https://bensguide.gpo.gov/m-constitution 
• Constitution of the United States - U.S. Senate: http://www.senate.gov/civics/constitution_item/constitution.htm
• The United States Constitution at ThisNation.com: http://www.thisnation.com/constitution.html

Find more documents and information on the Government Documents at HCC Library LibGuide, the Government Documents web page, and in the Library Catalog.

• 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM in Hays-Heighe House Room 201 - Constitution Day program featuring Dr. Stephanie Hallock, Professor of Political Science, & Dr. James Karmel, Professor of History, at Harford Community College. Live Stream Link:  tinyurl.com/HCC-ConstitutionDay  This activity is sponsored by HCC Library

• 11;00 AM - 12 Noon in Hays-Heighe House Room 101 - enjoy a collaborative exercise in "The 28th Amendment Interactive Project", led by Carol Powers, Chair of Constitution Week Committee, Governor William Paca Chapter of NSDAR, where participants interact and discuss ideas for creating a 28^th Amendment to the Constitution. This activity is co-sponsored by HCC Library and by the Governor William Paca Chapter of the NSDAR (National Society Daughters of the American Revolution).
• Student Life at 2nd Floor Library Patio - National Voter Registration Day and Giveaways  - register to vote and update your current registration with the Harford County Board of Elections and the League of Women Voters while enjoying fun activities and giveaways!
• Meet a "Founding Father" while he visits campus classrooms and hands out Pocket Constitutions!
• All day while HCC Library is Open - displays on the Constitution & the Bill of Rights. All kinds of giveaways and goodies including Pocket Constitutions and Constitution Day buttons at all service desks and on tables on the 2^nd floor of Library!

January 29 - May 18

Mon - Thurs: 8 am - 8 pm

Friday: 8 am - 4:30 pm

Saturday: 10 am - 2 pm

Sunday: CLOSED

March 25 - 30: CLOSED (Spring Break)