Constitution Day 2022
Our annual Constitution event is just around the corner. Join us – and help spread the word!
Beyond a Colorblind Constitution: remarks from La TaSha Levy
Followed by collective silent reading and online reflection
Friday, October 7, 2022 at 12:00 p.m.
Suzzallo Library 3rd floor or online*
Constitutions and take-away snacks provided.
Attending in person? Please RSVP via our calendar listing.
Attending remotely? Please follow the livestream link* at the end of this message.
Dr. La TaSha Levy (American Ethnic Studies, UW Seattle) is a Black Studies scholar specializing in post-WWII African American politics, Black intellectual history and Black Women’s studies. Levy offered one of the first college courses on #BlackLivesMatter in 2015, which garnered local and national coverage. Levy’s book manuscript titled Race Matters in the GOP traces the ideological shift in Black Republican politics during the early post-civil rights era, for which she was awarded two fellowships.
After Dr. Levy’s remarks, find just the perfect spot in the library to read silently. Then share your thoughts online via this public comment board.
Can’t come to Suzzallo Library? Join us remotely for Professor Levy’s remarks (livestream link below*), read the Constitution yourself, and share your thoughts on the public comment board anytime from now until October 8th. We recommend the highly readable online Constitution.
Participants in the public comment board will automatically be entered into a drawing for 2 tickets to What the Constitution Means to Me, a Tony-nominated play at the Seattle Repertory Theater through October 23rd.
*Remote attendees – on Fri Oct 7 at noon Pacific Time, go to the UW Libraries Constitution Day webpage. The livestream link will be listed there prior to the event.
Why a Constitution Day?
“[E]ach educational institution that receives Federal funds for a fiscal year shall hold an educational program on the United States Constitution on September 17 of such year for the students served by the educational institution.”
Section 111 of Division J of Pub L. 108-447
Because the University is not in session on September 17th, the UW Libraries staged its first Constitution reading in October 2006. We were inspired and excited by the energy of the event, with participants vowing to read the Constitution every year. Since then, we have held readings every autumn quarter.