Sandra Day O'Connor Institute

Sandra Day O'Connor Institute Founded by Justice Sandra Day O’Connor following her retirement from the U.S.

Supreme Court, our nonpartisan nonprofit continues her distinguished legacy to advance multigenerational civics education, civil discourse and civic engagement.

What if becoming a more informed citizen only took five minutes a day? 🇺🇸That’s the idea behind the Civics for Life app....
06/04/2026

What if becoming a more informed citizen only took five minutes a day? 🇺🇸

That’s the idea behind the Civics for Life app.

Daily quizzes. Short civic lessons. “On This Day in History” moments. Real conversations with 7,000+ people across the country who want to better understand how our government and civic life work.

No pressure. No textbooks. Just one small daily habit that adds up over time.

Know someone who’d enjoy it too? Share the app with them this week and learn together.

👉 civicsforlife.org/community

An initiative of the Sandra Day O'Connor Institute.

America’s Founders: Can you guess who this is?• I was born into one of Virginia’s most powerful political families• I be...
06/03/2026

America’s Founders: Can you guess who this is?
• I was born into one of Virginia’s most powerful political families
• I became known as one of the Revolution’s most eloquent speakers
• In June 1776, I introduced the motion for independence in Congress
• My resolution led directly to the Declaration of Independence
Do you know which Founder I am?
👇 Drop your guess in the comments!

What does the Declaration of Independence still mean in America today? 🇺🇸Join the Civics for Life Book Club on June 25 a...
06/02/2026

What does the Declaration of Independence still mean in America today? 🇺🇸

Join the Civics for Life Book Club on June 25 as we discuss The Greatest Sentence Ever Written by Walter Isaacson — a timely exploration of the powerful words: “We hold these truths to be self-evident …”

You do not need to finish the book (or even start it!) to join the conversation. This discussion is about ideas, civic dialogue, and reflecting on the principles that continue to shape our nation as America approaches its 250th anniversary.

Bring your curiosity, your perspective, and your questions.

Register here: bit.ly/49uuK5P

America's Founders: Can you guess who I am?• I was born in Liverpool in 1734 and came to America alone at age 14 after m...
05/29/2026

America's Founders: Can you guess who I am?
• I was born in Liverpool in 1734 and came to America alone at age 14 after my father died
• I voted against independence, then signed the Declaration of Independence anyway
• I personally financed the Yorktown campaign that ended the Revolutionary War, putting up $1.4 million of my own money
• I am one of only two Founders to sign all three founding documents: the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the U.S. Constitution
• I recommended Alexander Hamilton for Secretary of the Treasury
Do you know which Founder this is? 👇 Drop your guess in the comments!

This summer, the United States turns 250. It's a milestone worth more than fireworks. It's a moment to ask: what does it...
05/28/2026

This summer, the United States turns 250.

It's a milestone worth more than fireworks. It's a moment to ask: what does it mean to be a citizen right now — and what are we doing about it?

We've put together 12 meaningful ways to get civically engaged this summer, from attending an America 250 event in your neighborhood to tracking a real bill through your state legislature to having one honest conversation with someone who sees the world differently than you do.

Some take five minutes. Some might change the direction of your fall. All of them matter.

Read our Summer of Civics guide and tell us in the comments — which one are you trying first? 👇

https://oconnorinstitute.org/newsroom/summer-of-civics-2026/

This Memorial Day week, we're thinking about what it means to honor those who served. 🇺🇸One of the most meaningful ways ...
05/27/2026

This Memorial Day week, we're thinking about what it means to honor those who served. 🇺🇸

One of the most meaningful ways we can do that — year-round, not just on holidays — is to show up as informed, engaged citizens. To understand the democracy they defended. To participate in the systems they fought to preserve.

That's what the Civics for Life Community App is built for.

This week, share the app with someone you'd like to take that journey alongside. A friend, a family member, a neighbor. 7,000+ people are already learning, discussing, and engaging together — and there's always room for more.

Free on Apple + Google Play.
👉 civicsforlife.org/community

An initiative of the Sandra Day O'Connor Institute. Happy Memorial Day.

He was told the law said he didn't belong. He earned a doctorate anyway. He became a citizen. Then he ran for Congress —...
05/26/2026

He was told the law said he didn't belong. He earned a doctorate anyway. He became a citizen. Then he ran for Congress — and won.
In 1956, Dalip Singh Saund became the first Asian American, first Indian American, and first Sikh ever elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He did it holding his faith and refusing to be invisible.
His story is a reminder that democracy doesn't expand on its own — it expands when people who were shut out decide to walk through the door anyway.
Read the full story: https://civicsforlife.org/dalip-singh-saund-democracy-at-the-ballot-box/

On May 25, 1787, delegates gathered in Philadelphia not knowing they were about to change the course of history.What sta...
05/25/2026

On May 25, 1787, delegates gathered in Philadelphia not knowing they were about to change the course of history.

What started as a meeting to fix the Articles of Confederation — the nation's flawed first governing framework — became a four-month debate over liberty, power, slavery, and the future of American democracy. The result? The United States Constitution.

More than 235 years later, the conversations that began in that sweltering Philadelphia hall still shape our laws, our government, and our civic life.

Read the full story of the Constitutional Convention: https://civicsforlife.org/from-crisis-to-constitution-1787/

🏛️

This Memorial Day, take a moment to go beyond the long weekend and learn about the history behind the holiday.Did you kn...
05/25/2026

This Memorial Day, take a moment to go beyond the long weekend and learn about the history behind the holiday.

Did you know that one of the earliest known Memorial Day observances was organized in 1865 by recently freed African Americans in Charleston, South Carolina — long before it became a federal holiday?

From the Civil War's Decoration Day roots to the National Moment of Remembrance observed every May at 3 p.m., Memorial Day is one of America's most enduring civic traditions.

Read the full history here → https://civicsforlife.org/memorial-day-the-history-day-of-remembrance/

🇺🇸

Address

Phoenix, AZ
85004

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

(602) 730-3300

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Sandra Day O'Connor Institute posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Sandra Day O'Connor Institute:

Shortcuts

Share

Category