There were a few tears shed during the naturalization ceremony, but the 75 new Americans were all smiles for the camera as they proudly flashed their certificates of citizenship on the 217th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution.
The ceremony was just one of many events hosted by the National Constitution Center as part of the Constitution Week celebrations that began Friday.
"I just feel great to be an American," said Thomas Jefferson University senior Maggie Truong, who arrived in the United States seven years ago from China. "It's more than words can explain."
But words were perfectly adequate for taxicab owner Akeem Olaiya, who succinctly described his thoughts on citizenship.
"You have the right to vote," Olaiya said, adding that Friday was one of the most joyous moments of his life. "I'm going to get registered right away, [and] of course I'm going to vote for [John] Kerry."
Following the oath of citizenship, the national anthem and remarks by various speakers, the new defenders of the nation were treated to a guest appearance by "Thomas Jefferson," the third president of the United States.
Penn alumnus Bill Barker has been playing the role of Jefferson for over 20 years, currently under the auspices of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
"It's a wonderful opportunity ... to understand who we are as Americans," Barker said, decked out in period dress. The naturalization ceremony "is something that every American should see and commit to their memory. The new citizens are essentially renouncing their old country."
Some of them don't plan to ever return to their country of birth.
David Woncon, a 72-year-old Philadelphia resident, fled from the war in Liberia to the United States as a refugee. To him, his adopted country is a safe haven.
"If there's a war, they can rescue me," said Woncon, who has embraced his life in the once-foreign land. "We love this place, Philadelphia."
But Constitution Week isn't solely relevant to new citizens. Exactly 100 members of the public convened in the National Constitution Center for a reading of the Constitution.
"Typically, for museums, September is not your busiest month," said Beth Twiss-Garrity, vice president of interpretation for the National Constitution Center. "This weekend should be a really good weekend, and we look forward to hosting as many people as possible."
The celebrations attracted many students.
As part of a social studies field trip, students from Stephen Decatur Middle School crowded around 42 life-sized bronze statues of the 39 men who signed the Constitution, as well as the three who dissented.
"I came to learn more," Stephen Decatur student Jenny Sullivan said, completing a worksheet with questions about the Constitution.
But education and fun seem to go hand in hand at the National Constitution Center.
A "Register to Vote" concert will be held Tuesday evening in conjunction with MTV and Comcast -- with a completed voter registration card serving as the admission fee. Voter registration forms will be available throughout the week in the center.
"Our big push, especially this week, in an election year is to get people to think about voting," Twiss-Garrity said, noting that visitors may participate in a presidential election straw poll whose results will be announced Oct. 27.
