The United States Semiquincentennial,[a] also called the Bisesquicentennial, the Sestercentennial or the Quarter Millennial, will be the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence. Festivities will mark various events leading up to the Declaration's anniversary on Independence Day, July 4, 2026.
There were no major government-sponsored 50th anniversary observances on July 4, 1826 (the day the Founding Fathers and former presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died). In 1876, the United States organized nationwide centennial observances centered on the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia.[7] In 1926, a Sesquicentennial Exposition was held in Philadelphia, and in 1976, Bicentennial observances were held throughout the country.[7]
Activities and observances
Federal legislation directs that semiquincentennial events receive special focus in the cities of Boston, Philadelphia, Charleston, and New York (pictured, clockwise from top left).
The United States Semiquincentennial Commission Act of 2016 directs the United States Government to issue commemorative coins and postage stamps, and commission appropriately named naval vessels, in advance of the semiquincentennial.[8] In addition, specific activities—both officially organized and independently created—are being planned. The legislation specifically directs the organization of events “in locations of historical significance to the United States" going on to list Boston, Charleston, New York City, and Philadelphia as "leading cities."[9]
The Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020 allows the United States Mint to redesign any coins in 2026. It calls for a series of five designs for the quarter, including one depicting women's contributions to independence.[10]
Plans for the casting of a new public bell are being coordinated by the National Bell Festival. The bell will honor 250 years of women's contributions to the American story, and will lead nationwide ringing tributes during the celebrations.[11]
Redcoats march towards the Powder House in Somerville, Massachusetts
The incident known as the Powder Alarm of 1774 in the city now known as Somerville was commemorated by a reenactment in 2024, on a Sunday 250 years after the Sunday of the actual event.[15] The following day, activities in nearby Cambridge explored the consequences of this event.[16]
For the 250th Evacuation Day celebrations, commemorating the evacuation of British forces from the city of Boston following the siege of Boston, early in the American Revolutionary War, on March 17, 2026, the NPS will carry out a $25 million overhaul of the Dorchester Heights Monument. The planned renovations, which will take approximately 18 months to complete, will include work on "taking apart and reassembling the top floors, placing granite slabs to mark where the 1776 fortifications sat, bringing the retaining walls, drainage and lighting up to date and giving the info panels a face lift."[17]
In honor of George Washington's troops' final leg of the trip to secretly haul cannons from Fort Hill to the Fortification of Dorchester Heights, artist Michael Dowling seeks 100,000 Bostonians, a seventh of the city population, to write "a short story of belonging" on any piece of cloth, which will then be tied in a 4-mile (6.4km) long rope, the same length as the covert journey.[17]
Part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held at the Gillette Stadium in between June and July, co-hosting the championship with 15 other venues between Canada, the United States and Mexico, including the "leading cities" of Philadelphia and New York City, at the Lincoln Financial Field and MetLife Stadium, respectively.[18]
Philadelphia
In 2017, the Daughters of the American Revolution announced a grant of $380,000 to the city of Philadelphia to plant 76 semiquincentennial commemorative trees at Independence National Historical Park.[19] The actual planting of the trees will occur over the course of several years leading up to the semiquincentennial.[20] In 2018, at the state-level, the Pennsylvania Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial Commission (A250PA) was formed.[13]
The commission has announced it is preparing a time capsule for burial in Philadelphia on July 4, 2026, which will be scheduled for unearthing on July 4, 2276, the 500th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.[21]
In 2016, city planners announced "Vision 2026", a plan to redevelop Old City in preparation for the semiquincentennial.[22]
Sergio Villavicencio, Vice-President of the Alexander Hamilton Awareness Society, is currently serving as the New York City Semiquincentennial Committee Chair.[24] The Orange County Semiquincentennial Commission was created in 2019,[25] while, in June 2021, the New York State 250th Commemoration Act was enacted, creating a state-wide commission in charge of Semiquincentennial celebrations at the state-level.[26] Part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held at the MetLife Stadium in between June and July, co-hosting the championship with 15 other venues between Canada, the United States and Mexico, including the "leading cities" of Philadelphia and Boston, at the Lincoln Financial Field and Gillette Stadium, respectively.[18] The United States Navy will also host the seventh International Fleet Review in New York Harbor on July 4, 2026,[27] which will incorporate OpSail 2026. It is expected that 60 ships from 30 countries will take part.[28]
Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina, chosen due to its past as one of the "locations that witnessed the assertion of American liberty",[29] with the establishment of the South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission in 2018,[13] have begun planning battle reenactments and anniversary festivities. These parallel the 2020 celebrations of the College of Charleston's 250th anniversary,[30] as well as the 350th anniversary of the city of Charleston, which was called Charles Town during the Revolutionary War.[31]
Other cities
Louisville
The Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) from its national society headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky, announced plans to develop a SAR Education Center and Museum to be opened prior to the 250th Anniversary, which will house galleries and exhibits will highlight the patriot ancestors and tell the story of the American Revolution.[32]
Pittsburgh
In 2019, the city of Pittsburgh organized the "Pittsburgh's United States 250 Celebration", which will feature a Freedom train with Black and Gold colors, musical celebrations with the Pittsburgh Orchestra, and a major firework display at Fort Pitt in the city's downtown area, with an all-day live parade through all city neighborhoods.
Denver
In 2026, Colorado will also observe the 150th anniversary of Colorado entering the Union. The America 250 - Colorado 150 Commission was established to guide the Centennial State's twin commemorations.[33]
In 2011, the non-profit organization USA250 was established in Philadelphia to lobby for federal government support of the United States semiquincentennial and establish Philadelphia as the host city for events surrounding the semiquincentennial observances. In 2014, the Philadelphia City Council ordered a public hearing of the Committee on Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs to investigate "the impact and feasibility of Philadelphia" hosting the United States Semiquincentennial in 2026, among other events.[35][36] The United States Semiquincentennial Commission was subsequently established by Pub. L.114–196 (text)(PDF), 130Stat.685, enacted July 22, 2016 ("United States Semiquincentennial Commission Act of July 2016"), signed by then-President of the United States, Barack Obama.[21] The act was amended by Pub. L.116–282 (text)(PDF), 130Stat.685, enacted December 31, 2020, to allow the Commission to accept Congressional funding, to add a Justice of the Supreme Court to the Commission, and to make additional technical changes.[37]
On November 15, 2017, the United States Department of the Interior issued a request for proposals seeking a non-profit corporation to act as secretariat to the commission and lead nationwide organization of observances.[38] The American Battlefield Trust was named the commission's non-profit partner to serve as Administrative Secretariat, tasked with preparing reports for Congress and helping raise funds for the anniversary observances. The Trust "has distinguished itself in fundraising and managing high-profile commemorative events, and that expertise will be invaluable to the U.S.A. 250th Commemoration planning efforts," said then-Secretary of the InteriorRyan Zinke.[39]
Daniel DiLella, CEO and President of Equus, a leading private equity real estate fund, was appointed Chairperson of the Semiquincentennial Commission in April 2018, leading a 32-member body composed of members of Congress, private citizens and federal officials.[40]
The Commission was tasked with developing a report with recommendations to the President and to Congress within the first two years of formation. The Commission will observe and commemorate not only the Revolution, but also the full history of the U.S. leading up to the 250th Anniversary. Official meetings will be held at Independence Hall in Philadelphia.
In May 2018, DiLella named Frank Giordano as the commission's executive director. Giordano, who heads Atlantic Trailer Leasing in Philadelphia, led the rejuvenation of the formerly struggling Philly Pops orchestra and was part of the rejuvenation of the prestigious Union League of Philadelphia.[41]
Pennsylvania became the first state to formally begin planning for the anniversary in June 2018 when the commonwealth established the Pennsylvania Semiquincentennial Commission. Four months later, on October 17, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf named Fresh Grocer supermarket magnate and philanthropist Patrick Burns to chair the state commission.[42]
In August 2018, the State of New Jersey launched its effort when New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed a measure that called on the New Jersey Historical Commission to create a program focused on the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States as well as the creation of the state's first Constitution. The law appropriated $500,000 to fund the historical commission's planning for the 250th anniversary festivities.[43]
On November 16, 2018, the 33 members of the United States Semiquincentennial were sworn in at Independence Hall in Philadelphia and convened their first organizing meeting to begin eight years of planning and organizing for the 250th national birthday celebration. Dilella estimated that the group would meet three or four times a year.[44] The new commission consisted of 16 private citizens, including chairman DiLella; eight members of Congress and nine federal officials.[45] The day before the meeting, the Daughters of the American Revolution, in partnership with the commission, held a tree-planting ceremony to introduce its Pathway of the Patriots along the Schuylkill River Trail. Project organizers expect to plant 250 new trees along the trail from the city to Valley Forge.[44]
After being named the non-profit partner in October 2018, the American Battlefield Trust provided financial and staff support to get the Commission operational as well as initial legal support. It convened more than 50 Commission meetings and provided strategic advice for the governance and structure of the Commission, including the establishment of leadership roles and governance committees. The Trust also created the America 250 Foundation and provided initial recommendations for staffing and structure. It helped the Commission develop relationships with key stakeholders and federal agencies, worked to help secure corporate support for the Commission, provided temporary Commission administrative offices and worked with Congress to secure federal appropriations, providing more than 4,200 work hours in these efforts.[46][full citation needed]
In July 2021, the America250 Foundation made public its website as well as its marketing campaign, which initially consisted of advertisements in more than 4,559 locations in the four "leading cities," as well as a public service announcement aired on Comcast NBCUniversal networks that summer. Advertisements were displayed "[from] Times Square and the Lincoln Tunnel in New York to the Walt Whitman Bridge in Philadelphia," with original content also being published on the campaign's social media accounts.[47]
In July 2022, President Joe Biden designated former Treasurer of the United States Rosie Rios as Chair of the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission. Rios, who replaced Dan DiLella, was first appointed to the Commission on January 11, 2018. DiLella will continue to serve as a commissioner.[50] On October 3, 2022, Rios announced that CEO Joe Daniels had resigned. Daniels, who came from the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York City, had served as America 250 CEO for one year.[51]
On August 1, 2024, the Semiquincentennial Commission announced that former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, as well as their spouses, former First Ladies Laura Bush and Michelle Obama, will serve as the Commission's Honorary National Co-Chairs.[52]
Salute to America 250
During his 2024 presidential campaign, Donald Trump pledged to throw a 'spectacular birthday party' to honor the anniversary, by assembling a White House task force named 'Salute to America 250'.[53] Proposals include a 'Great American State Fair' to be held in the Iowa State Fairgrounds, featuring pavilions from all 50 states,[54] "Patriot Games" for high-school athletes, public monuments such as a National Garden of American Heroes, and other year-long celebrations and projects across the country.[55] It is planned to coincide with the Artemis III mission, the first Lunar landing since the Apollo program.
↑ Refers to "half (semi) of five (quin) of a century," an alternative of which is Bicenquinquagenary which comes from two (bi), hundred (cen(t)) and fifty (quinquagen).[1] The first mention of the term "semiquincentennial" in The New York Times was in a 2020 review by Thomas Mallon of Gore Vidal's1876 novel, observing that "[h]is novel allowed Americans to view their bicentennial through the commemorative year of a century before; present-day readers, six years away from the semiquincentennial of the republic (if we can keep it), can discern some of their own grotesque times through the author’s vision of 1876."[2][3][4]
Related Research Articles
The quarter, formally known as the quarter dollar, is a coin in the United States valued at 25 cents, representing one-quarter of a dollar. Adorning its obverse is the profile of George Washington, while its reverse design has undergone frequent changes since 1998. Since its initial production in 1796, the quarter dollar has held a significant place in American numismatics, with consistent production since 1831.
Philadelphia, colloquially referred to as Philly, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the sixth-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 1,603,797 in the 2020 census. The city is the urban core of the larger Delaware Valley, also known as the Philadelphia metropolitan area, the nation's eighth-largest metropolitan area and seventh-largest combined statistical area with 6.245 million residents and 7.366 million residents, respectively.
2026 (MMXXVI) will be a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, the 2026th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 26th year of the 3rd millennium and the 21st century, and the 7th year of the 2020s decade.
The Sesqui-Centennial International Exposition of 1926 was a world's fair in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its purpose was to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence, and the 50th anniversary of the 1876 Centennial Exposition.
The Centennial International Exhibition, officially the International Exhibition of Arts, Manufactures, and Products of the Soil and Mine, was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from May 10 to November 10, 1876. It was the first official world's fair to be held in the United States and coincided with the centennial anniversary of the Declaration of Independence's adoption in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776.
The United States Bicentennial was a series of celebrations and observances during the mid-1970s that paid tribute to historical events leading up to the creation of the United States as an independent republic. It was a central event in the memory of the American Revolution. The Bicentennial culminated on Sunday, July 4, 1976, with the 200th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Founding Fathers in the Second Continental Congress.
Joseph Crowley is a former American politician and consultant who served as U.S. Representative from New York's 14th congressional district from 1999 to 2019. He was defeated by Democratic primary challenger Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in what was viewed as one of the biggest upsets of the 2018 midterm elections.
Independence National Historical Park is a federally protected historic district in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that preserves several sites associated with the American Revolution and the nation's founding history. Administered by the National Park Service, the 55-acre (22 ha) park comprises many of Philadelphia's most-visited historic sites within the Old City and Society Hill neighborhoods. The park has been nicknamed "America's most historic square mile" because of its abundance of historic landmarks.
William Harrison Courtney was an American diplomat, having served as representative for the U.S. mostly in Eastern Europe.
Bonnie M. Watson Coleman is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for New Jersey's 12th congressional district since 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1998 to 2015 for the 15th legislative district. She is the first African-American woman to represent New Jersey in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Jefferson nickel has been the five-cent coin struck by the United States Mint since 1938, when it replaced the Buffalo nickel. From 1938 until 2004, the copper-nickel coin's obverse featured a profile depiction of Founding Father and third U.S. President Thomas Jefferson by artist Felix Schlag; the obverse design used in 2005 was also in profile, though by Joe Fitzgerald. Since 2006 Jefferson's portrayal, newly designed by Jamie Franki, faces forward. The coin's reverse is still the Schlag original, although in 2004 and 2005 the piece bore commemorative designs.
Rosa Gumataotao Rios is an American academic. She served as the 43rd Treasurer of the United States and is a visiting scholar at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, marketed as FIFA World Cup 26, will be the 23rd FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international men's soccer championship contested by the national teams of the member associations of FIFA. The tournament will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026. It will be jointly hosted by 16 cities in three North American countries: Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The tournament will be the first hosted by three nations and the first North American World Cup since 1994.
P. Daniel Smith is a longtime United States government administrator who is a former acting director of the U.S. National Park Service in the first Trump administration.
Lynn Forney Young is an American civil leader and clubwoman. She was the 43rd President General of the Daughters of the American Revolution, serving from 2013 to 2016. As the organization's president general, she oversaw a $4 million restoration of DAR Constitution Hall, led the organization in setting a Guinness World Record for "most letters to military personnel collected in one month" with 100,904 letters to members of the United States Armed Forces, and met with Elizabeth II during an event to launch a project to digitize the Royal Archives of George III.
The United States Semiquincentennial Commission is the Congressionally-appointed body in charge of promoting and coordinating the United States Semiquincentennial. The commission has been chaired by Rosie Rios since July 2022.
The George Washington Museum of American History was a proposed replica of Mount Vernon and museum in Utah to be opened for the United States Semiquincentennial.
The following is a list of events of the year 2026 in the United States, as well as predicted and scheduled events that have not yet occurred.
America 250 - Colorado 150 Commission is Colorado's initiative to celebrate United States Semiquincentennial of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and Colorado's Sesquicentennial. The twin commemorations will start in July 2025 and end on December 31, 2026.
↑ Mallon, Thomas (September 11, 2020). "Stories of Then That Still Hold Up Now". The New York Times. ISSN1553-8095. Archived from the original on September 11, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2022. His novel allowed Americans to view their bicentennial through the commemorative year of a century before; present-day readers, six years away from the semiquincentennial of the republic (if we can keep it), can discern some of their own grotesque times through the author's vision of 1876.
↑ America 250 Progress Report to the National Park Service, June 2020. (A250_ABT_DOI_ProgressReport 6 March 2020 6.1FINAL.pdf). Accessed June 28, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
