Guam’s relationship as an unincorporated territory of the US is currently determined by an Organic Act which is a federal law which went into effect in 1950.

A constitutional convention, the First Guam Constitutional Convention or ConCon was held from June 1969 to June 1970. This ConCon wasn’t authorized by the US federal government, but pushed forward by local leaders, who felt confused and frustrated with the island’s territorial political status.

As a territory Guam is not a full part of the US, and does not enjoy all the privileges and protections that come from being an equal part of the American union. But neither is it autonomous or independent and able to dictate its own laws, develop its economy and control its borders without federal interference. This ConCon sought to better understand its ambiguous political status, and test whether it was self-governing and able to make its own constitution.

43 individuals were elected as delegates for the First ConCon and Antonio M. Palomo (after whom the Guam Museum is named) was elected its president. In addition to forming committees to gather experts’ opinions and testimony, the delegates also held public forums around the island to gather input from the community at large. These images from some of those village meetings.

This First Guam ConCon did not produce a draft constitution, as it was determined that as an unincorporated territory, the island, its government and its people did not have the right to create one. The federal government held that power and that any constitution would have to be authorized and approved by the US Congress.

Instead the ConCon produced a list of 34 recommended changes to the Guam Organic Act to the US Congress. Only one of those recommendations was acted upon, the creation of a non-voting delegate for the island in 1972.

A Congressionally-authorized ConCon took place in 1977 which resulted in a draft constitution that was overwhelmingly rejected by voters in 1979.