Montana's Constitution Turns 50

This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of Montana's Constitution. It's a truly remarkable document and a model for the nation. Anniversaries are always a time to look back and assess, and this one is no exception. Here are resources to use in the classroom and opportunities to learn more yourself. 

Resources for Teaching 

Chapter 21 of Montana: Stories of the Land, "A People's Constitution," is an obvious starting point, as is Chapter Eight, "Montana's Quiet Revolution, 1965-1975" (23 minutes) of Montana Mosaic: 20th Century People and Events.  "Montana's Quiet Revolution" excerpts a longer (56-minute) video from PBS: For This and Future Generations.  

I also love these short video interviews with Earl Barlow, who at the time of the constitutional convention served as Director of Indian Education in the office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. In this series, he recounts how Montana became the only state to have a constitutional amendment stating that “[Montana] recognizes the distinct and unique cultural heritage of American Indians” and “is committed in its educational goal to the preservation of their cultural integrity”:

• "Learning of the Constitutional Convention" (2:41) 
• "Putting Indian Voices into the 1972 Constitutional Convention," (5:28),  
• "Addressing the Convention" (5:14), and
• "Putting Words into Action" (6:12).

The Montana Free Press has been running a series of articles on the constitution at fifty, including: 

• Montana’s Indian education mandate at 50 (montanafreepress.org)
• Montana’s progressive state Constitution celebrates 50 years (montanafreepress.org)
• The limits and strengths of Montana’s “Right To Know.” (montanafreepress.org)

My guess is that they will keep posting additional articles on their "State Government" page. 

Save the Dates 

The Montana Historical Society will be host a four-part speaker series in May (Thursdays at 4:30) focusing on the Constitution. Presenters will include longtime journalist Chuck Johnson (Rewriting Montana’s Constitution: How It Happened), State Senator Diane Sands (Women and the 1972 Constitution), panels with former state legislators Norma Bixby and Carol Juneau (The Constitution and Indian Education for All), and former state legislators Dorothy Bradley and Bob Brown (Open Meetings, Right to Know and Other Ways the 1972 Constitution Affected the Legislature). The talks will be live-streamed on our YouTube channel; attendees, whether in-person or online, be eligible to earn OPI Renewal Units. Details will be posted soon on the Montana Historical Society's Public Programs page.   

June 15 and 16 MHS will be cohosting a two-day conference, "Celebrating the 50^th Anniversary of the 1972 Constitutional Convention and Adoption of the Constitution by the People of Montana." Sessions will include panels on "How the Constitution Came to Be," “The Right to a Clean and Healthful Environment and Natural Resources,” "Revenue and Taxation," "the Declaration of Rights," and other topics. OPI Renewal Units will be available to attendees. Details will be posted soon on the Montana Historical Society's Conferences and Workshops page.  

While you are waiting for these upcoming events, check out "Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Montana Constitution," cohosted by MSU and the Montana Free Press. Recorded and available on YouTube, the two-hour event featured a star-studded cast: former Senator Max Baucus, former Gov. Marc Racicot, former state Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau, 1972 Montana Constitutional Convention delegate Mae Nan Ellingson, and longtime state political journalist Charles S. Johnson, along  with moderators Sarah Vowell and John Adams. 

Teaching Montana History is edited (and mostly written) by Martha Kohl, Outreach and Interpretation Program Manager at the Montana Historical Society.