The United States Semiquincentennial Commission, the body behind America250, was established in 2016.
Congress created the commission through the United States Semiquincentennial Commission Act, signed into law by President Barack Obama in July 2016. Its purpose was to plan and encourage observances of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the founding of the United States.
The commission began its work a decade before the anniversary itself, allowing time to coordinate federal agencies, states, territories, historic sites, museums, cultural organizations, and civic groups. The official America250 initiative was developed around this congressionally authorized effort.
The year 2016 can be confused with later milestones. The commission was created in 2016, while 2018 brought the selection of its administrative secretariat, and 2026 marks the semiquincentennial itself. The anniversary date is July 4, 2026, commemorating the Continental Congress's adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.