Constitution Week USA

Gilbert Constitution Week started in 2002. John Lewis, then President of

the Gilbert, Arizona Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, asked Bill Norton and Barb Stowell to consider a way to celebrate the Constitution within the Gilbert, Arizona Stake. The event also included a memorial to the September 11, 2001 attack, a Constitution Week Fair, a Tribute to the Founder event, and a Family Lesson.

The first event succeeded not only by educating Gilbert children about the US Constitution, but also by motivating Bill and Barb to bring this great forgotten American holiday out of the shadows.

On February 29, 1952, the US Congress designated September 17 as "Citizenship Day." (36 U.S.C. 106) On August 2, 1956, Congress requested that the President of the United States proclaim the week beginning September 17 and ending September 23 of each year as "Constitution Week." (36 U.S.C. 108)

With a vision to further promote the principles of the US Constitution the Committee expand the celebration beyond the Gilbert, Arizona Stake with involvement from other patriotic groups and Gilbert-based faith organizations,

In 2003, the Constitution Week celebration added the Family Home Evening lesson and an expanded Saturday evening Fair. Distinguished characters from the Colonial Era visited approximately 40,000 students within the Town of Gilbert. 2004 brought continued expansion to the celebration by adding a Scout Night where hundreds of Gilbert Boy Scouts worked on Citizenship in the Nation Merit Badge.

The Constitution Week Fair continued to grow and be the highlight of the week-long celebration. At the Fair, replicas of the White House, Capital, Supreme Court Building, Washington Monument, and Independence Hall were displayed. Further many children and youth participate through performance, activities, and other ways that promote the Constitution.

2003 –	Congressman Jeff Flake goes back in time to visit with Benjamin Franklin
2004 –	Secretary of Education – Rod Paige with a special tribute to our soldiers
2005 –	Supreme Court Justice, Sandra Day O’Conner presided over a naturalization service for 52 legal immigrants
2006 –	Benjamin Franklin celebrates his 300th Birthday and Lee Greenwood, a Nashville star, performed a live concert performing his smash single, “God Bless the USA.”
2007 –	Well-known action painter Michael Isreal performed artisitc patriotic art work to music, dazzling and inspiring the audience, ending with a 16-foot painting of Lady Liberty.
2008 –	The Lowe Family, colonial characters, and thousands of East Valley citizens celebrate the US Constitution.

Thanks to the many citizens of Gilbert and generous sponsors, Constitution Week has now become the largest celebration of the US Constitution in America. We look forward to many more years of celebrating the principles of liberty of the US Constitution.