The United States Semiquincentennial Commission was established in 2016.
Congress created the commission a decade before the anniversary so that planning could begin well in advance. The commission was established in July 2016 under federal legislation signed by President Barack Obama. Its mission was to coordinate and encourage observances of the 250th anniversary of American independence.
The commission is a bipartisan, congressionally chartered organization rather than a temporary local festival committee. Its work includes partnerships, educational programs, public events, and efforts to connect communities with the country’s history and future. The America250 name is closely associated with this work.
The law was amended in December 2020. Those amendments allowed the commission to accept congressional funding, added a Supreme Court justice to its membership, and made other technical changes. That timeline explains why planning for the 2026 anniversary began years before the celebration itself.