The United States Semiquincentennial Commission was established in 2016 for America’s 250th anniversary.
Congress created the commission through legislation signed into law in 2016. Establishing the body a decade before the anniversary gave planners time to coordinate federal agencies, state and local governments, cultural institutions, educators, and community groups.
The commission is a congressional, nonpartisan organization associated with the America250 effort. Its work concerns commemorative programs and public participation connected with the anniversary of American independence. The planning model reflects the scale of earlier national anniversaries, especially the 1976 Bicentennial.
The year 2016 is distinct from other important dates in the anniversary story. The Declaration of Independence was adopted in 1776, the Bicentennial occurred in 1976, and the planned anniversary observances center on 2026. Keeping those dates separate helps avoid confusing the planning body’s creation with the historical event it commemorates.