UTA Libraries invites campus community to celebrate Constitution Day

The U.S. Constitution may be more than 200 years old, but its impact can still be felt in everyday life. 
 

UTA Libraries will celebrate Constitution Day at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, on the first floor of the UTA Central Library. Students, faculty, staff, and visitors are invited to stop by, learn more about the Constitution, and pick up a free Constitution-themed goody bag. 

 
The first 500 visitors will receive a goody bag, including a pocket-size copy of the Constitution, while supplies last. 

 
For Troy Black, Metadata Specialist and Federal Depository Library Coordinator at UTA Libraries, the event is about more than simply recognizing a date in history. It is about helping students become familiar with a document that continues to shape the country and their own lives. 

“The Constitution is the most important document in our government framework,” Black said. “I think it’s important for them to be familiar with it and have it at the ready if they have questions.” 

 
That is part of the reason Black likes the pocket-size Constitutions given out during the event. They are small enough to keep in a backpack and easy to refer to when a question comes up. The copies even include a subject index in the back to help readers find topics and the amendments related to them. 

 
And students really do keep them. 

 
During last year’s Constitution Day event, Black kept the table up after the goody bags had run out and continued handing out copies of the Constitution. Several students who stopped by told him they still had the copy they received the year before. 

“I was surprised at the number of them that came up and said, ‘I still have mine from last year in my backpack,’” Black said. “That made me feel good because I thought, you know, they are keeping them. They’re holding on to them.” 

Take a closer look 

Constitution Day commemorates the signing of the U.S. Constitution in Philadelphia on Sept. 17, 1787. The document established the framework of the federal government, outlining its powers and responsibilities while also placing limits on governmental power. 

For Black, understanding that framework is important because the Constitution is not simply a piece of history. It is a document that continues to affect people’s lives. 

“It’s important for them to be familiar with it,” Black said. “And then have it at the ready if they have questions.” 

The Constitution was later amended to address the rights and freedoms of Americans. The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791 and include protections for freedom of speech, religion and the press, as well as due process and other fundamental rights. 

Black hopes students will take the time to read those rights for themselves and think about what they mean. 

“A lot of people know about the Constitution, but they may not have actually read it,” he said. “I want our students to have a copy they can carry with them and refer to.” 

That familiarity can be especially valuable for students as they participate in their communities, enter the workforce and become more involved in civic life. Knowing what the Constitution says gives people a place to start when they have questions about their rights, their government or the issues affecting their communities. 

And the Libraries offer plenty of ways to go beyond the pocket-size copy. 

While visiting the Constitution Day table, students can take the opportunity to learn more through UTA Libraries’ collections and research resources. Curious about the history behind an amendment? Want to learn how the Constitution has been interpreted over time? Have a question about how the federal government works? 

Start with the Constitution, then see where your research takes you. 

Stop by the Library 

Constitution Day is a good reminder that important documents do not have to stay tucked away in a history book. Sometimes, it’s worth picking one up, reading a few pages and asking a few questions. 

So, stop by the UTA Central Library on Sept. 17. Pick up a goody bag, take a pocket Constitution for your backpack, and spend a little time getting to know a document that continues to play an important role in American life.