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Citizenship Day is celebrated on September 17th to honor those who have become American citizens. It coincides with the signing of the US Constitution in 1787 and is also the first day of Constitution Week. The holiday was established in 1952 and schools and agencies celebrate it through various activities. Naturalization ceremonies are also held on this day.
Citizenship Day is celebrated every year on September 17. The federally observed holiday coincides with the creation and signing of the United States Constitution at the Convention on the Constitution in 1787. Citizenship Day is an occasion to pay tribute to all individuals who have become American citizens. Also, the holiday is the first day of Constitution Week.
Every year on holidays, the President of the United States can issue a decree recommending that government officials display the American flag on government buildings and encourage the people of the United States to celebrate with various ceremonies and activities. The idea for the holiday dates back to 1939, when newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst lobbied in his publications to establish some kind of commemoration of American citizenship. In 1940, Congress passed a resolution asking the president to set aside the third Monday in May as a day for the public to commemorate people who have become citizens of the United States. This day was originally known as “I am an American Day”.
Congress eventually reversed the resolution and, in 1952, enacted a new law to move the date from May to September 17 for observing the signing of the United States Constitution. When the date was moved, it was also renamed “Citizenship Day”. In 2004, United States Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia recommended adding new facets to Citizenship Day. These include that on September 17, heads of federal agencies offer workers educational and support materials related to the United States Constitution and that any educational institution receiving federal subsidies coordinate educational programming related to the United States Constitution.
Schools and agencies can celebrate Citizenship Day and Constitution Week in different ways. One of the most common methods is to distribute free copies of the US Constitution. Other ways organizations can recognize the holiday and Constitution Week are through plays, essays, and trivia contests. If the recognized holiday falls on a weekend, schools and other agencies may observe the commemoration on the nearest weekday.
A person automatically becomes a US citizen if at least one parent is already a legal resident of the US, regardless of where they were born. A person also becomes a US citizen if she was born on US soil. Another way to become a citizen of the United States is to be naturalized. In order for a person to be naturalized, an individual must be at least 18 years of age and is required to pass a test involving United States history and government, among other requirements. On Citizenship Day, naturalization ceremonies are held throughout the country where individuals officially become American citizens by pledging allegiance to the United States.
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