The original United States Semiquincentennial commissioners were sworn in at Independence Hall on November 16, 2018.
The ceremony marked the commission’s transition from a legal creation into an operating national planning body. The original group consisted of 33 members, including private citizens, members of Congress, and federal officials. Independence Hall was chosen for its connection with both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
The date is distinct from several other important America250 milestones. Congress established the commission in 2016, and the Department of the Interior selected its nonprofit administrative partner in May 2018. The commissioners’ swearing-in came later that same year.
Membership rules changed afterward. A 2020 amendment added further nonvoting federal officials, increasing the commission’s overall membership to 36. Thus, the 2018 ceremony refers to the original membership rather than the later expanded body.