This Friday, September 17th, is Constitution and Citizenship Day, an annual holiday to encourage knowledge of our country’s founding documents and the principles they were based on. This currently lesser-known holiday was designated by Congress in 2004 but its history goes back much further and began, appropriately, as a citizens’ quest.

In 1939 William Randolf Hearst used his chain of newspapers to push for the creation of a holiday celebrating American citizenship. On the eve of America’s involvement in World War Two Congress approved the third Sunday in May as I Am An American day. In 1952 the day was renamed Citizenship Day and moved to September 17th.