Constitution Day
On September 17, 1787, thirty-nine of the fifty-five delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia signed the final draft of the U.S. Constitution. It then went to the states for ratification. Today, federal law designates September 17 as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. Each year, the College of Law hosts a special event on behalf of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to commemorate the occasion.
Constitution Day 2021 Lecture: "The Words That Made Us"
Akhil Reed Amar
Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science
Yale University
September 17, 2021
12-1 p.m.
Max L. Rowe Auditorium
Law Building
The event will also be available via livestream, for those who prefer to attend remotely. Please use the following link: https://livestream.com/accounts/23585776/events/9828987
When the US Constitution won popular approval in 1788, it was the culmination of thirty years of passionate argument over the nature of government. But ratification hardly ended the conversation. For the next half century, ordinary Americans and statesmen alike continued to wrestle with weighty questions in the halls of government and in the pages of newspapers. Should the nation's borders be expanded? Should America allow slavery to spread westward? What rights should Indian nations hold? What was the proper role of the judicial branch?
In The Words that Made Us, Akhil Reed Amar unites history and law in a vivid narrative of the biggest constitutional questions early Americans confronted, and he expertly assesses the answers they offered. His account of the document's origins and consolidation is a guide for anyone seeking to properly understand America's Constitution today.
Event is free, and open to the campus community.
"Building Access GRANTED" status required and face masks must be worn while in the law building.
Lunch will be provided to attendees.
Learn more about Constitution Day at constitutionday.com.
For more information:
Carolyn Turner, Assistant Dean for Administration
carolynt@illinois.edu