There are two documents of supreme importance to American history: the Declaration of Independence, which forged our national identity, and the United States Constitution, which set forth the framework for the federal government that is still in use today. While Independence Day is a beloved national holiday, fewer people know about Constitution Week, an annual commemoration of the living document that upholds and protects the freedoms central to our American way of life. This year the annual celebration begins September 17, 2025. 

The concept of a national observance was initiated in 1955, when the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) petitioned the U.S. Congress to dedicate time each year to commemorate the signing of the Constitution and annually declare September 17-23 as Constitution Week. Congress adopted the resolution and on August 2, 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed it into law. 

The framers created a charter which translated into law the ideals upon which our nation was built. This vision was so forward thinking that their words remain the oldest and shortest written Constitution of any major government in the world still in use today. No American history education can be complete without a thorough understanding of the impact the Constitution has had on the lives of American citizens past and present.  Without the Constitution there would be no America 250!

DAR has been the foremost advocate for the awareness, promotion, and celebration of Constitution Week. By fostering knowledge of and appreciation for the Constitution and the inalienable rights it affords to all Americans, DAR helps to keep alive the memory of the men and women who secured our nation’s independence and whose bravery and sacrifice made possible the liberties we enjoy today. 

Tina Snyder
Bluffton, Ohio
Regent, Fort Findlay NSDAR