Events

September 17 marks Constitution Day, the day that we recognize the adoption of the United States Constitution. On this date in 1787 in Philadelphia, the 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, including Benjamin Franklin, signed the Constitution in the Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House, now Independence Hall. September 17 is also Citizenship Day, celebrating people who have become U.S. citizens.

Penn OGCA invites members of the campus community to find us in front of the LOVE statue on Tuesday, September 17, 2024 from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm, where we’ll be giving away free pocket-sized copies of the U.S. Constitution. Be sure to visit the Penn Bookstore, located at 3601 Walnut Street, to view a special Constitution Day-themed book display.

The Leonore Annenberg Institute for Civics (LAIC) is hosting several Constitution Day-themed events. Their newest film in The Constitution Project series on Annenberg Classroom is a short historical documentary is entitled “The Eighth Amendment: Cruel and Unusual Punishment. There will be a panel discussion following a live-streaming of the film clip at the Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site on September 17 at 2:00 pm. Register to watch the panel program here.

A second webinar will feature Ms. Opal Lee, known as the “grandmother of Juneteenth” in, “A Conversation With Ms. Opal Lee: Juneteenth and the Constitution,” exploring the themes of freedom, equality, and storytelling. LAIC is offering a national webinar for 4th-6th grade students, in partnership with the National Constitution Center and the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery moderated by Ang Reidell of LAIC. This webinar will take place on Tuesday, September 17 at 12:00 pm. Register here to join the webinar.

The National Constitution Center, located at 525 Arch St., will host its annual Constitution Day Celebration on Tuesday, September 17, from 9:30 am – 5:00 pm with free museum admission. To learn more about the National Constitution Center’s programs and events highlighting Constitution Day, click here.

Celebrate National Voter Registration Day at Penn

This year, September 17 also marks National Voter Registration Day (NVRD), a nonpartisan civic holiday dedicated to encouraging participation in our democracy. The Office of Government and Community Affairs is proud to celebrate NVRD in coordination with Penn Leads the Vote. You can find us in front of the LOVE statue on September 17 from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm, where we’ll be registering voters, answering questions about voting, and celebrating the holiday with giveaways!

To learn more about National Voter Registration Day, visit nationalvoterregistrationday.org.