Citizenship Day
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Citizenship Day commemorates the formation and signing of the United States Constitution and recognizes all who have become citizens. It is celebrated every September 17 in remembrance of September 17, 1787, when delegates from 12 states at the Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution into law in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
[edit] History
In 1939, William Randolph Hearst advocated, through his chain of daily newspapers, the creation of a holiday to celebrate citizenship. In 1940, Congress designated the third Sunday in May as I am an American Day.
In 1952, President Harry Truman signed a bill which proclaimed Citizenship Day to be September 17. Some Americans still observe this holiday. The bill's purpose was to recognize everyone who had become a United States citizen the previous year. It has since been expanded as a general celebration of citizenship.
[edit] See also
- Constitution Day (United States) also on September 17 (but observed one day early in 2005 to avoid the weekend)
