Register for our online programs today On September 17, 1787, the framers of the U.S. Constitution signed the most influential document in American history. Celebrate the anniversary by joining the National Constitution Center for the best Constitution Day celebration in the country. Live programs, online resources, and even museum admission are all FREE on September 17! We are the place to turn to help you commemorate this historic day while meeting your federal education requirements, at the Center and online! Museum admission will be FREE on Friday, September 17 in honor of Constitution Day. Click here for our full list of programs and to register. Online Events State of the Union: Civics 12 p.m. ET on Zoom President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen will be joined by leaders from government, education, and cultural institutions, including Dr. William R. Hite, superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia, Louise Dubé, executive director of iCivics, and Sal Khan, founder and CEO of Khan Academy, to discuss the state of civics education in the United States. We will explore the essential skills needed for a robust republic and the tools necessary to promote active and healthy civil discourse in our country today. Panelists will share what their organizations are doing at every level to build guardrails of democracy and support students nationwide. Register here. Online Classes: Constitution All-Stars 1 p.m. ET on Zoom Join President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen and Chief Learning Officer Kerry Sautner for a special All-Star Edition of our popular Fun Friday classes. As we kick off our 2021-2022 year, some of our favorite constitutional experts, including professors Martha S. Jones and Hasan Kwame Jeffries, and more special guests, return to share more knowledge and answer all of your Constitution Day questions. Register here. Judges on Judging 2 p.m. ET on Zoom Judge Marjorie Rendell, Judge Cheryl Ann Krause, and Judge Stephanos Bibas of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit join us to discuss how they approached some of the most significant appellate cases on last term’s docket, including Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L. (2021), Fulton v. City of Philadelphia (2021), and Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. v. Boockvar. Register here. View a Moving Naturalization Ceremony 9:30 a.m. ET on Zoom On September 17 we not only celebrate Constitution Day, but also Citizenship Day, a holiday meant to honor and celebrate the privileges and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship for both native-born and naturalized citizens. In recognition of this special observance, every year the National Constitution Center hosts a Naturalization Ceremony as part of our Constitution Day celebrations, during which 50 immigrants from across the globe will take the Oath of Allegiance to officially become citizens of the United States. The Honorable John R. Padova, senior judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, will preside over the ceremony. Register here. Join us for The Constitution’s Birthday Celebration, Preamble Reading and Kids Town Hall: Favorite Historic Figures 11 a.m. ET on Zoom Join the National Constitution Center to wish the Constitution a happy 234th birthday LIVE from our museum on Independence Mall! President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen will be joined by some famous faces from history for a special reading of the preamble to the Constitution. Following the reading, join us for our Kids Town Hall With Favorite Historic Figures. During this special program, visitors will have the opportunity to “meet” famous figures from throughout constitutional history and hear about the ways they shaped the Constitution. Register here. LEARN MORE Events at the Center Are you in the Philadelphia area? Join us at the Center for a full day of programs. Constitution 101 Overlook Show 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m., Grand Hall Overlook Experience a crash course on our government! Visitors will learn the importance of checks and balances and the responsibilities of each branch of government. They can then assume the powers of the presidency, Congress, and the judiciary, and work together to pass a law! Sign the Giant Constitution All Day, Grand Hall Lobby Guests can check out our giant version of the U.S. Constitution and sign their names alongside Washington, Franklin, and Madison. Constitution Day Naturalization Ceremony 9:30 a.m., F.M. Kirby Auditorium On September 17 we not only celebrate Constitution Day, but also Citizenship Day, a holiday meant to honor and celebrate the privileges and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship for both native-born and naturalized citizens. In recognition of this special observance, every year the National Constitution Center hosts a Naturalization Ceremony as part of our Constitution Day celebrations, during which 50 immigrants from across the globe will take the Oath of Allegiance to officially become citizens of the United States. The Honorable John R. Padova, senior judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, will preside over the ceremony. The Constitution’s Birthday Celebration and Preamble Reading 11 a.m., F.M. Kirby Auditorium and Zoom Join the National Constitution Center to wish the Constitution a happy 234th birthday LIVE from our museum on Independence Mall! President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen will be joined by some famous faces from history for a special reading of the preamble to the Constitution. Kids Town Hall: Favorite Historic Figures 11:15 a.m., F.M. Kirby Auditorium and Zoom During this special program, visitors will have the opportunity to “meet” famous figures from throughout constitutional history and hear about the ways they shaped the Constitution. Judges on Judging 2 p.m., F.M. Kirby Auditorium and Zoom Judge Marjorie Rendell, Judge Cheryl Ann Krause, and Judge Stephanos Bibas of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit join us to discuss some of the most significant cases on this year’s docket, including Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L., Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, and Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. v. Secretary Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. RESERVE TICKETS Free museum admission and online programming on Constitution Day is made possible thanks to support from PECO. Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities A Pathway to a More Perfect Union: A Conversation on the State of Civics Education in PA September 9, 2021, 3:30 – 5 p.m. ET Join colleagues from across Pennsylvania as we explore civics education in the Commonwealth—past, present and future. Learn about ongoing priorities, initiatives, and innovations and how to incorporate them in the classroom and beyond as we approach Constitution Day 2021. The program will be moderated by the Honorable Marjorie O. Rendell, judge, United States Court of Appeals. Panelists include Dr. Kerry Sautner, chief learning officer, National Constitution Center; Mr. Christian Wrabley, social studies teacher Greater Johnstown High School; Mr. Joe Welch, 2020 PA Teacher of the Year and social studies teacher, North Hills School District; Dr. Jem Spectar, president, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown; Colonel (ret) Charles D Allen, professor of cultural science at the United States Army War College; and Dr. Regina Clare Speaker, executive director Montgomery County IU. REGISTER Civil Dialogue Series September 14, 2021 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. ET From September through December, the National Constitution Center will host 90-minute virtual professional learning workshops for educators interested in developing civil dialogue skills with their students. Participating educators will: Examine the importance of norm creation Explore the differences between political and constitutional questions Participate in a civil dialogue on a current constitutional topic Receive student ready resources Collaborate and share with colleagues nationwide Join us for the first session on Tuesday, September 14, from 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. ET. See a full list of session dates and times here. Educators are encouraged to join us for the entire series, or individual sessions as schedules allow. REGISTER 2021-2022 Scholar Exchanges Part lecture and part lively conversation, these weekly classes are accessible to the public so that students, teachers, and parents can join in a constitutional discussion with National Constitution Center scholars, including President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen and Chief Learning Officer Kerry Sautner, on core topics such as the branches of government, landmark court cases, civil rights, First Amendment’s freedoms of speech and press and the Fourth Amendment’s search and seizure. Classes start on Wednesday, September 15. Each week this school year, three classes will be offered: Wednesdays at 12 p.m. Introductory Sessions – Seeking Understanding Wednesdays at 2 p.m.: Advanced Sessions – Beyond the Basics Fridays at 1 p.m.: All-Ages Sessions with Distinguished Guest Scholars Public, 30-minute-long classes, take place on Zoom, are streamed live on YouTube, recorded, captioned, and posted on our website. Explore the schedule for the entire school year and register for upcoming sessions here. Interested in scheduling a session for your class and other classes nationwide? The semi-private Scholar Exchanges promote deeper understandings and enhance opportunities for civil discourse and discussion. Sessions will be offered Tuesdays and Thursdays each week from September 2021 – May 2022. Learn more about those sessions, and register for a future session, here. LEARN MORE The Story of the 26th Amendment This year marks the 50th anniversary of the passage of the 26th Amendment, which lowered the voting age to 18. This week’s episode tells the fascinating story of the amendment—sparked by two wars and the idea of “old enough to fight, old enough to vote,” principally designed by two senators, and advocated for by countless young people, students, and civil rights activists. Host Jeffrey Rosen was joined by Jason “Jay” Berman, a longtime advisor to one of the principal architects of the 26th Amendment, U.S. Senator Birch Bayh, and Yael Bromberg, author of the article “Youth Voting Rights and the Unfulfilled Promise of the Twenty-Sixth Amendment.” LISTEN Special thanks to the 26th Amendment Collection, Modern Political Papers, Indiana University Libraries as well as the Youth Franchise Coalition and Project Vote 18 for the Birch Bayh audio at the top of the episode. The National Constitution Center's education team is here to help with any of our online resources. Email [email protected] with questions or comments on how we can help you and your students with your remote learning needs. STAY CONNECTED ‌ ‌ ‌ National Constitution Center | Independence Mall, 525 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA 19106 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected] powered by Try email marketing for free today!