Interactive 21st annual Constitution Day slated for Sept. 17
Fun, informative event counts toward Boilermakers’ Civic Literacy Proficiency requirement
Caption: (left) Phillip J. VanFossen, Suzi & Dale Gallagher Dean of Education and director of the James F. Ackerman Center for Democratic Citizenship, interacts with students during the Quiz Off competition (All photos/Purdue College of Education)
Celebrate U.S. Constitution Day on September 17!
Purdue University will officially celebrate U.S. Constitution Day in the Purdue Memorial Union to commemorate the signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787. Hosted by the College of Education’s James F. Ackerman Center for Democratic Citizenship, the event will include games, snacks, giveaways, and educational opportunities.
The 21st annual Constitution Day will take place on the Purdue Memorial Union West Terrace on the ground floor (next to Walk-On’s Bistreaux) from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. A highlight is the Jeopardy! style Quiz-Off competitions with Purdue students facing off at 11:30 a.m., followed by a celebrity competition at 12:30 p.m.
Purdue students benefit because not only will they learn more about the U.S. Constitution, but this event can be used as one of the six approved civics-related events which Purdue undergraduate students must complete to earn their civics literacy graduation requirement.
“Purdue’s 21st annual Constitution Day celebration is one of only a few approved Civics Literacy Proficiency (CLP) events in Purdue’s civics literacy graduation requirement,” said Phillip J. VanFossen, the Suzi & Dale Gallagher Dean of Education and director of the Ackerman Center. “That means students who choose the civic events pathway to fulfill their Civic Literacy Proficiency requirement will be able to count Constitution Day as a civics event.”
Purdue’s Constitution Day commemorates the signing of the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787, by 39 of the original 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention.
The date also coincides with the federally declared “Constitution Day and Citizenship Day” signed into law by Congress in 2004. The law requires that “each education institution that receives federal funds for a fiscal year shall hold an education program” about the Constitution annually on or near that date.
“Even with so many references to the Constitution in our public discourse, many of us don’t really have a working knowledge of the Constitution and what it contains,” said Anne Murphy-Kline, assistant director of the Ackerman Center. “Constitution Day is an opportunity to learn more about the relevance of our founding document while having fun and eating cookies. What could be better?”
The Ackerman Center has programs and resources for K-12 and community educators to implement powerful citizenship education that promotes active involvement in schools and communities. Come learn about and celebrate our amazing U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17!
About Purdue’s Constitution Day
In 2004, Congress passed a provision requiring all schools receiving federal funds to develop educational programs for students celebrating the anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution. Congress declared September 17 to be Constitution Day in an effort to increase the nation’s civic literacy. In 2005, Purdue’s then-President Martin Jischke invited the Ackerman Center for Democratic Citizenship to coordinate Purdue’s celebration of Constitution Day, and the Center has done so every year since (except during the Co-VID pandemic in 2020).
Source: Anne Murphy-Kline