U.S. Constitution Day Celebrated With Events Across Perimeter Campuses

CLARKSTON, Ga. --Sunday, September 17 is officially U.S. Constitution Day, marking the date when the country’s abiding legal document was ratified in 1787 in Philadelphia, Pa.

At Perimeter College, the historic date is celebrated not just with one day, but with four days of speakers and programming across the college. The programs give a sample of the breadth of the Constitution and what it represents to the citizens of the U.S.

Originally called Citizenship Day, the name was changed to Constitution Day in 2004 by the U.S. Congress, which also required that every educational institution that receives federal funding should have an educational component commemorating the Constitution on or around September 17 to promote civic education.

The following are some of the events planned for the week of September 18-21. Most programs are sponsored by the college’s History and Political Science Department. All are free and open to the public.

• Clarkston Campus, Monday, Sept. 18, 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m., CN 2220, “Pride at Work: A Roundtable Discussion of LGBTQ-Plus Issues and the Labor Movement.”
  • Moderator, Dr. Robert Woodrum
  • Speakers: Evette Avery, treasurer, Teamsters LGBTQ Caucus; Joseph Hyde, Georgia State AFL-CIO political/education trainer; and Rachel McLendon, president, Atlanta Chapter of Pride at Work and International Representative, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. (This event will be streamed to the SF 2100, Decatur Campus.)
• Decatur Campus, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 10 -11:15 a.m. SB 2190, “The First Amendment in the 21st Century”
  • Speaker: Elder law attorney, Pamela Lohr Hendrix.
• Decatur, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. SB 2120, “A Healthy Constitution: Perspectives on American Institutions Over Time.”
• • Speaker Panel: Patrick Elliott, senior lecturer, political science, chair, with discussants Dr. Zachary Bates, assistant professor, history, Jean Francois Onivogui, assistant professor, political science and Arthur Cacace, instructor, history.
• Dunwoody Campus, Thursday, Sept. 21, 10 a.m.- 1 p.m., Student Center. The Dunwoody History and Politics Club and Dunwoody Student Life will sponsor a voter registration drive led by the DeKalb County Voter Registration and Elections office.
• Alpharetta Campus, Thursday, Sept. 21, 1 p.m., AB 107. “The Constitution: More than a Narrative.”
  • Speakers: Kelvin and Janelle King. Kelvin King ran against Herschel Walker and Gary Black in the Republican Party for the Senate seat and is a graduate of the Air Force Academy. His wife, Janelle King, is a member of the political program "The Georgia Gang."
• Newton Campus, Thursday, Sept. 21, 1-2 p.m. 2N Atrium. How many amendments are there in the U.S. Constitution? How many attempts have been made to amend the Constitution? Find out the answers and more during Constitution Team Trivia. For information, contact Barbara Robertson, [email protected].