CLINTON — Communities throughout the U.S. will celebrate the spirit and meaning of the country’s Constitution beginning on September 17.  On this day in 1787 at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, 39 delegates at the Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution of the United States of America. 

Nearly 170 years later, in 1955, DAR spearheaded an effort to set aside one-week annually when Americans could celebrate this historic signing. 

After petitioning Congress to set aside the week of September 17-23, on August 2, 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed Constitution Week into law. Constitution Day on September 17, marks the beginning of this week-long celebration.

The purpose of the celebration is to emphasize the responsibility of protecting and defending the Constitution,  preserving it for posterity, understanding its significance to our heritage and its foundation to our way of life.  Local chapters of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) will celebrate with many events to honor this founding document.