It is officially Constitution Week. The Daughters of the American Revolution initiated the tradition of celebrating the constitution. In 1955, the organization petitioned Congress to annually set aside September 17-23 in dedication and observance of the Constitution of the United States. A joint resolution of Congress on August 2 preceded President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s first Constitution Week proclamation (Proclamation 1351), which officially designated the period beginning September 17 and ending September 23, 1956, as Constitution Week.
The aim of the Constitution Week celebrations each year since has been to:
• Emphasize citizens’ responsibilities in protecting and defending the constitution.
• Inform the public the constitution is the foundation for America’s great heritage and way of life.
• Encourage the study of the historical events which led to the framing of the constitution.
Constitution Week is also an excellent time to study the Constitution of Kentucky, which was established in the constitutional convention of 1891. Keep in mind, this was Kentucky’s fourth constitution for Kentucky. The original one was adopted at the state’s founding in 1792 at a constitutional convention held in Danville, Kentucky.
These sacred documents have gone down in history as some of the most remarkable documents on self-governance the world has ever known. We should never take for granted the framework of our system of government, a significant aspect being a bicameral legislature (this means two chambers: a house and a senate).
The concept of ‘innocent until proven guilty,’ the right to trial by a jury of your peers, freedom of religion, privacy and other inalienable rights and civic responsibilities are ideas we should never take for granted. Elected officials such as myself should always remember our first duty is to our oath to defend the constitution and not to a political party. We should never forget the United States is the world’s longest-surviving representative republic, and I believe we are being tested.
It’s important to study these documents, especially the Constitution of Kentucky, which some may not be as familiar with.
I was honored to serve on the 225th Anniversary Commission, which focused on celebrating our commonwealth’s landmark anniversary. Original constitutional documents are stored in a vault at the Kentucky Historical Society, and I had the honor of seeing it first-hand, even looking at the notes Kentucky’s founding fathers made in the margins.
I want to thank the Daughters of the American Revolution’s Boone County chapter for hosting displays on our constitution in the main Boone County Public Library and the Walton branch. There will be documents on display and free copies of both the U.S. and Kentucky constitutions. There will be displays recognizing the bravery of those who signed the original documents. Brochures on women’s right to vote and our system of checks and balances are also available for viewing. Don’t miss this unique opportunity.
Also, the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission makes copies of the constitution available to residents of Kentucky. Feel free to contact my office by phone or email if you would like to have one mailed to you.
Every resident has a responsibility to become familiar with these documents, as they clearly outline both our constitutional rights and, more importantly, our responsibilities as citizens.
Senator John Schickel represents the 11th District in northern and central Boone County.