Monday, Sept. 17 marks Constitution Day, which celebrates the signing of our founding document in 1787.

State Bar President Kimberly M. Cahill is urging all lawyers to be in the forefront by working within their communities to increase public awareness about this historic document and our democratic way of life.

"Constitution Day recognizes an important landmark in our nation's history and provides an opportunity for all Americans to better understand its significance and relevance," Cahill said.

The SBM Public Outreach Committee has compiled resources – including a website and extensive teaching materials and lesson plans for kindergarten through high school – relating to the Constitution. These are posted at http://www.michbar.org/generalinfo/constitutionday.cfm. The website also includes relevant videos, including:

• The Korematsu vs. U.S. Government Legal Milestone: Defining Moments from the Past with Lessons for a Post-9/11 World, an extensive teaching curriculum on the World War II internment of Japanese Americans, and
• Educating for Everyday Democracy: The Jury Process, a curriculum designed to teach constitutional components as they apply to the importance of jury service and the value of diverse jury pools.

A 2005 act of Congress requires that all educational institutions receiving federal funding must observe Sept. 17 as Constitution Day.