Knowledge of the U.S. Constitution, for many of us, is exhausted after the recitation of the phrase, “We the people ...” The occasional School House Rock ditty may help jar the memory for the words to the Preamble, but most of us are sadly ignorant of the history and language of this revolutionary document.

Constitution Day, a federally mandated observation for institutions receiving federal funds, will spotlight historic events, influential people and the document itself. Festivities at the University of Houston will begin Wednesday, Sept. 14 and continue throughout the week. For updates on UH Constitution Day activities, visit http://www.uh.edu/admin/media/constitutionday.

Sept. 14, “Cat’s Got Your Back,” a student resource fair at the University Center, featuring

• Free copies of the Constitution

• Information on UH Constitution Week activities

Sept. 14 – 22, “The Path to the Constitution,” an M.D. Anderson Library exhibit featuring

• Facsimiles of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights

• Original letters between George Washington and Charles Pinkney, one of the most influential architects of the Constitution

• Copies of the Federalist Papers, written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay to promote the then-proposed Constitution

• A timeline illustrating the events and people that led to the drafting of the Constitution

• “Know Your Constitution?” a quiz to test your knowledge. For more information on the exhibit, visit http://info.lib.uh.edu.

In addition, speakers in various constitutional fields will share their knowledge and experiences. These special lectures include:

• Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America. Huerta will discuss “The Constitution and American Civil Rights” when she visits Cullen Performance Hall Sept. 22.

• Victor Flatt, UH professor of law, will address how the more than 200-year-old Constitution can still guide the legality of such modern issues as same sex marriage. Flatt will show how the issue of gay marriage closely parallels the famous Brown vs. Board of Education, the landmark decision that ended segregation in public schools. His Power Point presentation, the “U.S. Constitution – Making a Historical Document Work for the Modern World,” will be accessible at http://www.uh.edu/admin/media/constitutionday.

• Harrell Rodgers, professor and chair of the UH political science department, will offer three Power Point presentations on the history of the Constitution. The first, “Governments in the Modern World,” will review common elements in the various forms of government around the world. The second, “The American Constitution,” will detail the challenges leading to the drafting of the Constitution and spotlight important compromises made along the way. “The Constitution Timeline” will provide an informative overview of how the Constitution came to be. Rodgers’ presentation will be accessible at http://www.uh.edu/admin/media/constitutionday.

Marisa Ramirez
mrcannon@uh.edu