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Oct. 17 proclaimed “American Samoa Constitution Day”

Feleti Barstow Library

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Gov. Lemanu Peleti Sialega Mauga, has proclaimed Oct. 17th — which falls on a Sunday this year — as “American Samoa Constitution Day” with the Feleti Barstow Public Library holding an exhibit this morning that will display historical material about the signing of American Samoa's constitution in 1960. 

The exhibit showcases “American Samoa Constitution Day” as a day to honor the Constitution of American Samoa, which was enacted by the people for the benefit of the people. The exhibit was put together so the public can see this material any time they choose to visit the library. 

The governor is scheduled to speak at noon today during the event and will be accompanied by other ASG officials, including the government’s Office of Political Status and Constitution Review.

In his American Samoa Constitution Day proclamation, dated yesterday, the governor explained that the territory’s Constitution was adopted by a Constitutional Convention in April 1960 and approved by the US Secretary of Interior on Apr. 27th of that year. And the Constitution became effective Oct. 17, 1960.

Gov. Peter Coleman declared the first “Constitution Day” in 1960 to be celebrated on Oct. 17th. Coleman noted that the Constitution represents for the people of American Samoa the “greatest step forward” in the political development of the territory since the American Flag was raised on the island of Tutuila in 1900.

According to the proclamation, “it is appropriate that, in the process of developing self-government, the people of American Samoa should enjoy certain rights and responsibilities inherent in the representative form of government clearly set for in a constitution.