By Judy Mathias
Communities throughout the nation will be celebrating the spirit and meaning of the country’s Constitution beginning September 17.
On this day in 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, 39 delegates at the Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution of the United States of America. Nearly 170 years later, in 1955, the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) spearheaded an effort to set aside one week annually when Americans could celebrate this historic signing.
After petitioning Congress to set aside the week of September 17 – 23, on August 2, 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed Constitution Week into law. Local chapters of NSDAR celebrate with many events to honor this founding document. Celebrations begin with Bells Across America, on September 17, when bells across the country are rung simultaneously at 4 p.m. EDT. The week also features displays in schools, libraries, and other community locations, and a “Constitution Minute” on the local radio station.
For ways that you and your community can join the celebration go to Constitution Week | Daughters of the American Revolution (dar.org).
The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is a women’s service organization whose members can trace their lineage to an individual who contributed to securing American independence during the Revolutionary War. Today’s DAR is dynamic and diverse, with over 185,000 members in 3,000 chapters in the United States and abroad. DAR members annually provide millions of hours of volunteer service to their local communities across the country and world. DAR chapters participate in projects to promote historic preservation, education, and patriotism. Over one million members have joined the organization since its founding in 1890.
