In 1952, Congress passed a law establishing September 17 as the day to commemorate “the formation and signing, on September 17, 1787, of the Constitution of the United States.” As amended in 2004, the law designates this day as “Constitution Day and Citizenship Day” and added two new requirements in the commemoration of this Day. The first requires every federal agency provide each employee with educational and training materials concerning the Constitution on September 17th. The second requires that each educational institution which receives Federal funds should hold a program for students every September 17th.
Each year Grossmont Community College arranges events for a special day remembering this U.S. Constitution that is the foundation of America’s legal system.
On the designated day there is an outdoor celebration on the grand lawn with music and the distribution of free pocket Constitutions, and an interactive workshop from in the student center led by an economics instructor. The workshop includes a quiz show game testing participants’ knowledge of the Constitution. For many years the San Diego SAR Chapter Color Guard has participated in a noontime voter registration drive and manned a student government information booth along with student from the Associated Students of Grossmont College.
Other activities include: a Constitution wall in the patio for passersby to post thoughts, questions, artwork, and comments on what the Constitution means to them; screenings of the film, “American Independence, 1776,”; giveaways of a free pocket Constitution, courtesy of the Grossmont College Financial Aid Office and the Associated Students of Grossmont College; and a political science professor lectures on a subject related to Constitution Day.