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Former Vice President Joe Biden has been elected chair of the board of trustees at Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center. The center made the announcement Wednesday that Biden will succeed former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, whose term ended in January. Jeffrey Rosen, President and CEO of the center, says Biden’s “love for the constitution, and passion for teaching all Americans about its enduring principles, have inspired people around the world.” …

Van Cliburn didn't play, Bruce Hornsby wasn't introduced, and the guest of honor's English interpreter could barely be heard by much of the outdoor audience. Other than that, the 2008 Liberty Medal ceremony honoring former Soviet leader Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev went off without a hitch tonight at the National Constitution Center. Against the backdrop of clouding relations between the United States and Russia, former President George H.W. Bush, chairman of the center, presented the 20th annual award to Gorbachev for his role in ending the Cold War and bringing democracy to the formerly communist Soviet Union. "Regardless of the dividing...

PHILADELPHIA - Former President Bill Clinton has been named the next chairman of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, succeeding former President George H.W. Bush, the center announced Tuesday. Bush has been chairman of the museum and nonprofit group, dedicated to educating the public about the U.S. Constitution, since January 2007. Clinton will begin his term on Jan. 1.

As you likely know, the most historic district of Philadelphia has been undergoing renovation for several years. A new Constitution Center has been built; access around Independence Hall has been redirected; and, earlier today, the Liberty Bell was moved to a new location.The Liberty Bell is one of those symbols whose power is hard to explain, but is undeniable. It hung for a while in Independence Hall. It is cracked. It hasn't been rung for many years. An inscription from the Book of Leviticus circles the bell near its top: "Proclaim Liberty throughout All the land unto All the...

PHILADELPHIA — This city's new Constitution museum does not sugarcoat how the Founding Fathers resolved the "awful dilemma" of slavery. One display panel reminds visitors that Georgia and South Carolina threatened to leave the Union if they could not keep importing slaves. Other states were anti-slavery and the compromise, enshrined in Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution, was that the slave trade could continue until 1808, and be taxed at no more than $10 per slave. That stunning dispatch is typical of the National Constitution Center, which opened this summer, not far from the Liberty Bell. A museum dedicated...

Clueless at the Constitution CenterBy Michael P. TremoglieFrontPageMagazine.com | July 8, 2003 They were not so much a coalition of protesters as they were a coalition of the clueless. At least that was my impression after speaking with them. There were two events in Philadelphia on Independence Day. One was the dedication of the first and only museum devoted to the United States Constitution-the National Constitution Center (NCC). Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor was the honored guest at the dedication ceremony for the NCC. Several thousand observed those ceremonies, which included speeches by O’Connor, Senator Rick Santorum, and Ray...

Fallen frame was unsecuredBy Jere Downs, Sam Wood and Joseph TanfaniInquirer Staff Writers The 650-pound wood frame that toppled onto a stageful of dignitaries at the National Constitution Center's opening was not secured at its top or its base, and had never been inspected, according to an official close to the investigation of the accident. In addition, the official and other sources said, there was no run-through or rehearsal of the ceremony, though such rehearsals are standard practice in stagecraft. Those were among the details that emerged yesterday about the incident on Friday, which left Mayor Street, Sen. Arlen Specter...

<p>PHILADELPHIA — What was to have been a spectacular opening of the National Constitution Center (search) was marred Friday when a huge wood and steel frame collapsed on the stage, injuring several people and narrowly missing Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor (search).</p>

At the conclusion of the dedication ceremony of the Constitution Center, today, July 4th, 2003, on stage, a select few were asked to pull the red, white, and blue ribbons, pulling down ceremonial drape... What they pulled down, instead, was quite unexpected. A heavy frame surrounding a mural came crashing down right in front of the first row of these special guests at the ceremony.

Test your constitutional knowledge By WILLIAM BUNCH We're hopeful the new National Constitution Center on Independence Mall will accomplish at least two things. The first is to attract hordes of tourists who will toss wads of money at our hotels, restaurants and shops. The second is to teach its visitors all about America's one-of-a-kind Constitution. From the war in Iraq to affirmative action to sodomy, this historic 18th century document and its amendments continue to shape our world, yet few of us know the nitty-gritty of how the document was written or has evolved. With that in mind, the Daily...

History is about to come alive again in Philadelphia. The city, home of the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and many early American historical structures, will soon see the opening on July 4 of the first-ever building dedicated to the United States Constitution. Designated the National Constitution Center, the new museum is situated as the northern-most anchor of Independence Mall. A modern 160,000 square-foot building, it is filled with more than 100 exhibits designed to increase the public's understanding of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, its history and relevance to our life now. "It is both a museum and monument...