Thirty-three members were sworn in at the first organizing meeting of the United States Semiquincentennial Commission in 2018.
The members took their oaths at Independence Hall in Philadelphia on November 16, 2018. The group then convened its first organizing meeting and began the long planning process for the 2026 national birthday celebration. At that time, the commission consisted of 16 private citizens, eight members of Congress, and nine federal officials, totaling 33 people.
The membership structure later changed. A 2020 amendment increased the number of non-voting ex officio federal officials, bringing the overall body to 36 members. This later figure is a common source of confusion when people describe the commission’s composition, but the original 2018 group numbered 33.
The commission was designed to combine political representatives, citizens, and federal expertise. Its work included developing recommendations, coordinating with partner organizations, and planning observances that would recognize both the American Revolution and the broader history of the United States.