On August 2, 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower officially enacted Constitution Week from a congressional resolution petitioned by the Daughters of the American Revolution, which set aside one week per year to commemorate the 1787 adoption of the United States Constitution.
The City of Hattiesburg took part in that observance on September 19, when Mayor Barker issued a proclamation designating September 17 to 23 as Constitution Week in Hattiesburg. The ceremony, which was held at Fire Station No. 1 in downtown Hattiesburg, was attended by members of the Hattiesburg Fire Department, sixth-grade students from Sacred Heart Catholic School and officials from the Twentieth Star Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, among others.
“The Constitution stands as the bedrock of our republic,” Barker said. “It protects the rights of everyday Americans and it is what we swear to protect when we take office, whether it’s mayor, state representative, city council or even President of the United States.
“It is not a distant, far-off document removed from present-day relevance. When we take the Constitution for granted, when we fail to recognize its importance or we simply assume our leaders will follow it, dangerous things can occur. We have seen glimpses of that in the times that we live in. Remembering it, seeking to understand it and teaching (children) about it helps extend this American experiment to another generation.”
Barker then issued the proclamation, which reads, in part, “September 17, 2023 marks the 236th anniversary of the drafting of the Constitution of the United States by the Constitutional Convention. It is fitting and proper to record official recognition to this document and its anniversary, as well as to the patriotic celebrations which commemorate the occasion.
“(This recognizes) the historic importance of the Constitution and the significant role it plays in our lives today.”
According to information provided by the DAR organization, the purpose of Constitution Week is threefold, as follows:
- To emphasize citizens’ responsibilities for protecting and defending the Constitution;
- To inform people that the Constitution is the basis for America’s great heritage and the foundation for Americans’ way of life; and
- To encourage the study of the historical events which led to the framing of the Constitution in September 1787.
After Barker’s proclamation, officials then took part in Bells Across America, an additional way to commemorate the signing of the Constitution. To mark the occasion, HFD assistant chief Chris Carr rang a silver firehouse bell before event attendees rang smaller bells for one minute.
“During Colonial times and the early days of our country, bells – church bells, firehouse bells such as this, town and city hall bells – were used to call people together,” DAR member Jutta White said. “(This alerted) them to some important announcement or event.
“Bells called the people in Philadelphia together during the Declaration of Independence, read publicly for the first time on July 4, 1776. Then again, (bells called people) just over 11 years later, on September 17 (1787), bells were used to call people together for the first public reading of the new Constitution.”
To close the ceremony, attendees recited the preamble to the Constitution, which outlines the organization of the republic and the rule of law that would hold the country together.
To learn more about Constitution Week and Bells Across America – including the opportunity to sign the Constitution Week Proclamation Pledge and to obtain sample Constituion Week proclamations – visit the DAR website at https://rb.gy/9ixwr.
