What term names the 2026 U.S. anniversary known as America250?

The 2026 U.S. anniversary known as America250 is the semiquincentennial.

The word semiquincentennial denotes a 250th anniversary. It combines “semi,” meaning half, with “quincentennial,” referring to a 500th anniversary. America250 commemorates the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence.

The celebration’s central date is July 4, 2026, because Independence Day marks the public proclamation of the Declaration in 1776. Federal planning began with the United States Semiquincentennial Commission, established in 2016, although events also recognize other milestones connected with the American Revolution and the country’s broader history.

The term can be confused with bicentennial, which means a 200th anniversary, or sesquicentennial, which means a 150th anniversary. “Quincentennial” alone refers to 500 years, not 250. Other historical labels, including sestercentennial, have also been used for a 250th anniversary, but semiquincentennial is the formal name used for the national commemoration.