Constitution Day is celebrated in the United States every September 17th. It marks the anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787. This historic document is the cornerstone of American democracy and has had a profound impact not only in the United States but also as an inspiration for constitutional governments around the world. Once the American Revolution ignited in the British colonies of the New World, the ideas of liberty and revolution spread across the globe like wildfire. Most famously, the French revolution toppled the monarchy in Versailles. But likewise in Haiti, Ireland, and throughout southern Europe and the vast majority of Latin America, revolutions challenged or outright unseated oppressive colonial governments. All took a page from the history of the United States’ playbook, and that page was the Constitution.
In 1787, in an effort to address the weaknesses of the fledgling U.S. government’s Articles of Confederation, a group of delegates met over a sweltering summer in Philadelphia to hash out a new form of government. Led by notable figures like James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, and George Washington, the delegates argued and debated over the best way to establish a strong and enduring government founded on peace, prosperity, and freedom. What they drafted was a document forming the governmental framework of historical novelty and unparalleled aspiration–a government whose power derives from the consent of the governed, and whose focus is not on securing the wealth and authority of a few, but on uplifting all in justice and equality. This is the document which we honor and celebrate every September 17th.
As we look forward to our Constitution Day celebration, let us not forget that for much of our history, the “Blessings of Liberty” so eloquently outlined in the Constitution were outside the grasp of an overwhelming number of people. Be it the discrimination, violence, and injustice suffered by people of color, the inequalities between sexes, or the gaps in power and wealth between economic classes, there have been, and still are, holes in the Constitution. This year, let us remember the revolutionary spirit in which the Constitution was written, the spirit that inspired revolutions around the world. We must rededicate ourselves to that spirit with a willingness to have the hard conversations about who we are as a country and who we want to be. But especially, we must remember that the revolutionary spirit does not rest with lip service–if we want to bring those aspirations into reality, we must act on them. We can patch the holes of the Constitution with understanding, humility, empathy, and a commitment to doing better.
We at the law library are committed to inspiring your revolutionary spirit, and we look forward to sharing another Constitution Day with you. Stop by any library service point anytime during the week of September 18 – 22 to play Constitution trivia and be entered into a raffle to win a set of Apple AirPods (sponsored by LexisNexis). On Monday, Sept. 18 from 12-1, come to a special Constitution-themed Lexis training, get a bonus raffle ticket, and enjoy some Jimmy John’s. And on Friday, Sept. 22, join us in the library lobby for raffle tickets, trivia, and a birthday cake celebrating the 235th birthday of the U.S. Constitution.