2016: Carolyn Whitener and Curtis Craig

Constitution Day 2016 with Carolyn Whitener and Curtis Craig

Constitution Day is dedicated to remember the 39 men involved in the planning and signing of the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787. The Oklahoma State University Library hosts an annual event to acknowledge the importance of the Constitution and the impact it has on American culture, society and freedom.

Carolyn Whitener and Curtis Craig, plaintiffs of the 1976 Craig v. Boren Supreme Court case, will discuss their case on Sept. 19 at 3:30 p.m. in the Peggy V. Helmerich Browsing Room, Edmon Low Library.

The Constitution Day discussion will feature the landmark court case that became the first time a majority of the United States Supreme Court determined that gender classifications were subject to the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause.

Dan Chaney, OSU associate professor, librarian and organizer of this year’s Constitution Day event, said Whitener and Craig were selected to speak because of their relationship to the court case. Craig was an undergraduate student during the time, and Whitener was a Stillwater business owner. Both were involved in the case that extended civil rights to men and women.

"This event is interesting because the case originated in Stillwater and will resonate with the students of Oklahoma State University," Chaney said. "The case demonstrates anyone can play a major role in changing the law."

The event will tell the story of a case that has greatly affected gender equality. This year marks the case's 40th anniversary.

The Constitution Day event is free and open to the public. The event will also be broadcast live at www.ostate.tv. For more information, contact lib-pub@okstate.edu or 405-744-7901.