The Constitution is the very foundation of our nation. It is the document that secures the freedoms we enjoy every day, including our right to free speech, expression, and religion. It balances government powers and outlines the workings of our democracy.
Yet the original draft of the Constitution was a deeply flawed document, and the freedoms it promised were not extended to everyone. In fact, they were not extended to most. The Constitution, as it was ratified, institutionalized the enslavement of Black people, and excluded Indigenous peoples from becoming citizens. It extended suffrage only to white male landowners.
Throughout the following centuries, constitutional amendments, including the Bill of Rights, addressed and repaired some of the Constitution’s flaws. Therefore, when it comes to celebrating the Constitution, we honor not only those who created it in the 18th century, but also those who had a broader and more inclusive vision of liberty and fought to improve it.
Constitution Day is observed on September 17, marking the day the U.S. Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution in 1787.
Last year on Constitution Day, the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) hosted a conversation between Demos President Taifa Butler and ACLU-NJ Executive Director Amol Sinha focused on the challenges and opportunities of the moment – including voting rights, reproductive freedom, government transparency, federalism, civil liberties, and more. The panelists explored the role of state constitutions and hope as a policy priority for New Jersey and the country ahead of 2024 presidential election.
Watch a recording of the panel here.
As widespread attacks on our constitutional rights continue, the ACLU of New Jersey is dedicated to safeguarding and expanding the rights embedded in the Constitution for all. There is still more work to be done to ensure those who face the most marginalization are protected and ensured their freedoms and justice, and the ACLU-NJ is here to do that work.