Happy Constitution Day!

Constitution Day celebrates the signing of the United States Constitution 224 years ago on September 17^th, 1787. Not only does Constitution Day celebrate the signing of the Constitution, but it also serves as a day to recognize all who, by coming of age or completing the naturalization process, are citizens of the United States of America. This year’s Constitution Day theme is Federal Courts: Guardians of the Constitution. Every federal judge in the United States is required to take an oath of office as required by the Judiciary Act of 1789. The text of the oath is as follows:

"I, _________ (name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will administer justice without respect to persons, and do equal right to the poor and to the rich, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon me as a __________ (title) under the Constitution and laws of the United States. So help me God."

If you’d like to see an interesting short video of about the oath, check out the U.S. Court’s Constitution Day website. The video shows federal judges saying the oath and discussing what it means to them.

Due to Constitution Day falling on a Saturday this year, most institutions are celebrating today, September 16^th. The NCCU Law Library is celebrating by giving away free pocket U.S. Constitutions courtesy of the Law Library and LexisNexis as well as showcasing several of our resources on constitutional law and the federal courts. Please feel free to stop by and pick up a free U.S. Constitution and check out the various materials we have on display.