U.S. Constitution Day

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.— In previous years, Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs has visited classrooms in person to help students learn about the Constitution and its importance to our nation’s history. Due to physical distancing guidelines and school safety measures, the Mayor was unable to be in a classroom this year, so he instead utilized a virtual story time. Links to these videos were distributed to schools around the county. To hear The U.S. Constitution by Norman Pearl, most suitable for later elementary grades, check out this video. To hear We The Kids, a book suitable for PreK-1st grade that includes the Preamble with illustrations and foreword by David Catrow, check out the next video in this series. Constitution Day is a federal observance that recognizes the adoption of the U.S. Constitution and those who have become U.S. citizens. It is observed each year on Sept. 17 – the day in 1787 that delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution in Philadelphia. Prior to 2004, the holiday was known as “Citizenship Day.” Institutions that receive federal funding, including money through the U.S. Department of Education, are required to hold an education program about the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17. “The Constitution is one of the most important documents in the history of the world,” Mayor Jacobs said. “Not only does it establish the form of the federal government, but, more importantly, it guarantees our rights and liberties and ensures that the American people will never be subject to arbitrary government overreach.”