Constitution Day and Citizenship Day

Constitution Day and Citizenship Day—September 17, 2025—was chosen for the Hands Across New Jersey protest because of the significance of the day. On September 17, 1787, the United States Constitution—which established the framework of our federal government and guaranteed our fundamental rights—was signed, becoming the Supreme Law of the land.

“I Am an American Day,” established by Congress in 1940 to honor new citizens, was originally celebrated in May. Twelve years later, it was moved to September 17 and renamed Citizenship Day. In 2004, a federal law changed the name again to Constitution and Citizenship Day.

New Jersey and the Constitution

While New Jersey played a crucial role in securing independence from Great Britain during the American Revolution, it also played a pivotal role in the drafting and ratification of the U.S. Constitution. The New Jersey Plan, designed to protect small states from being overruled by larger ones, introduced the principle of equal state representation. This principle was incorporated into the final Constitution through the Great Compromise, which gave us a bicameral Congress.

New Jersey became the third state to ratify the Constitution on December 18, 1787, and the first state to ratify the Bill of Rights on November 20, 1789.