OCTC Celebrates Constitution Day by Looking Back at Executive Overreach

On Wednesday, September 17, 2014, Owensboro Community amp; Technical College will celebrate Constitution Day with a presentation titled Circumventing the U.S. Constitution: A Brief History of Early Executive Overreach by OCTC History instructor Matt Alschbach. A native of San Diego, California, Alschbach came to OCTC in 2012. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cal State University San Marcos in 2005 and a Master of Arts degree from San Diego State University in 2008.

On Constitution Day, we recognize the anniversary of the nations constitution and the efforts and responsibilities of all citizens. In the summer of 1787, delegates convened in Philadelphia to create a more perfect union and to craft the country's constitution. They worked to develop a framework that would provide balance and freedom, taking into account national and state interests, as well as individual human rights. The delegates signed the Constitution of the United States on September 17, 1787. By June 21, 1788, the Constitution was ratified, having been approved by nine of the 13 states.

Efforts to recognize citizens and the Constitution began in 1939, when newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst advocated a day to celebrate US Citizenship. In 1940 Congress created I Am an American Day to be celebrated on the third Sunday in May. On February 29,1952, President Harry Truman signed into law Citizenship Day. It was established to replace I Am an American Day. On August 2, 1956, Congress requested that the President proclaim the week beginning September 17 and ending September 23 of each year as Constitution Week. One additional change was made to the event when a federal law enacted in December 2004 designated September 17 as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day.

OCTC President Dr. Jim Klauber commented, As a history and in particular a U.S. Constitution buff, this is one of my favorite days, and I am always surprised at the many lessons we can learn by examining the past.

The OCTC event is free and open to faculty, staff, students and the general public and is hosted by the Hager Civic Engagement Scholars Program. The event will take place at 2:00 p.m. on OCTCs Main Campus in the Chandler Conference Center located in the Advanced Technology Center.