Organizations to recognize Constitution Day

Three Lorain County organizations will host a Constitution Day workshop Sept. 14 in recognition of America’s founding principles.

Sponsored by the Lorain County Urban League, Lorain County Rising and the League of Women Voters, Elyria’s First United Church, 312 3rd St. will welcome the community between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. to celebrate the social and legal contract citizens have with their leaders.

Co-organizer Sylvia Duvall, president of the Lorain County Urban League Guild, said it was important to emphasize civic education and responsibilities in “our communities.”

“I need for people to know we are a nation of law,” Duvall said. “Although it seems as though we aren’t, we are a nation of law.

“And the way that ordinary everyday citizens can impact their government is through the use of the articles that are in the (U.S.) Constitution that that’s what gives the Americans their power. And so, we thought this would be a good kickoff.

“I know there’s going to be a lot of political activity in the coming year, people need to start to be cognizant of their rights as an American and how to impact the government that’s here.”

The workshop will focus on the first, second and 14th amendments of the Constitution with three facilitated breakout sessions and information sessions led by local teachers and community leaders.

According to the Library of Congress, Constitution Day has origins dating back to 1940 when it passed a joint resolution requesting the president to issue an annual proclamation setting aside the third Sunday in May for the public recognition of all who had attained the status of American citizenship, then known as “I Am an American Day.”

In 1952, Congress repealed the resolution and passed a new law moving the date to Sept. 17 to commemorate “the formation and signing, on September 17, 1787, of the Constitution of the United States.”

While still recognized as “Citizenship Day,” the law urged civil and educational authorities to instruct their citizens on their civic responsibilities as Americans.

In 2004, U.S. Senator Robert Byrd (D-West Virginia) successful advocated for Congress to change the designation to “Constitution Day and Citizenship Day” and added requirements for the head of every federal agency to provide employees with educational and training materials concerning the Constitution on Sept. 17.

In addition, each federal institution which receives federal funding should hold a program for students, the Library of Congress said. Tickets to the workshop cost $5 and lunch will be provided. Tickets are available at Eventbrite. Event organizers are still looking for sponsors.