Preparations for the US 250th Anniversary Begin, Aiming to Bridge National Divides

As the 250th anniversary of the United States lies three years ahead, early festivities are starting to take shape.

The official kick-off of the commemoration planning will happen this 4th of July during a Major League Baseball game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago Cubs at American Family Field in Milwaukee. America250, the body orchestrating the festivities, will begin a nationwide call for people to recount their personal narratives about what the nation signifies for them.

As the significant anniversary approaches, political divisions pervade the nation, with differing viewpoints on the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack and the legitimacy of President Joe Biden’s election. The political schism has even seeped into everyday decisions such as shopping and beer selection.

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With the 2024 presidential election looming, the nation will have to navigate another potentially contentious contest.

Tensions were also palpable in the build-up to the 1976 bicentennial celebration, which occurred in the wake of President Richard Nixon’s resignation amid the Watergate scandal and the turbulent ending of the Vietnam War. That was also a time marred by the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr.

Rosie Rios, the ex-U.S. treasurer now leading America250, looks back fondly at the bicentennial festivities, when as an 11-year-old in Northern California, she observed antique sailing ships amassing in the Boston and New York harbors on her family’s black-and-white TV and visited the Freedom Train exhibit during its Oakland stop. She vividly recalls the fireworks.

“I’ve never been prouder of being an American than that evening, and I hope my children can experience similar feelings,” Rios shared during an interview.

Rios hopes the 2026 commemorations can ignite the same sentiment, despite the current national conflicts.

“Our success would be measured by how many Americans feel that this is indeed a land of opportunity,” she added.

The 4th of July event will officially launch the planning for the 2026 commemorations. America250, a non-partisan body established by Congress in 2016 to coordinate the anniversary, will supervise the proceedings. The organization has already enlisted Nextdoor, a neighborhood app, and the YWCA as partners.

“We have some ideas,” Rios stated, “but we’re eager to hear from students and individuals from all regions of the country.”

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More about US 250th Anniversary

• America250 Organization
• Major League Baseball
• History of U.S. Bicentennial Celebration
• About Rosie Rios