The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) urges Americans to reflect on the United States Constitution, during this month’s annual observance in honor of this foundational document of National governance.
“There are two documents of paramount 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 functions to this day,” said DAR Past President General Denise Doring VanBuren. “While Independence Day is a well-recognized and beloved National holiday, fewer people know about Constitution Week. [It is] an annual commemoration of the living document that upholds and protects the freedoms central to our American way of life.”
The DAR initiated the observance in 1955….The service organization petitioned the U. S. Congress to dedicate September 17–23 of each year to the commemoration of Constitution Week Congress adopted the resolution, and on August 2, 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed it into Public Law #915.
The celebration’s goals are threefold: encourage the study of the historical events that led to the framing of the Constitution in September 1787; remind the public that the Constitution is the basis of America’s great heritage and the foundation for its way of life; emphasize U.S. citizens’ responsibility to protect, defend, and preserve the U. S. Constitution.
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 foundational liberties.