What was the official name of the federal body that coordinated the 1976 U.S. Bicentennial after 1973?

The federal body that coordinated the 1976 U.S. Bicentennial after 1973 was the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration.

Congress created the American Revolution Bicentennial Commission in 1966, but plans for a single national exposition led to extended debate. After more than six years, Congress dissolved that commission on December 11, 1973, and created the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration, or ARBA.

ARBA was charged with encouraging and coordinating locally sponsored events rather than staging one centralized celebration. This approach allowed cities, states, museums, schools, and community groups to organize their own programs across the country.

The distinction matters because the two organizations had similar names but different roles and dates. America250 uses a newer United States Semiquincentennial Commission, established in 2016, to coordinate the 2026 anniversary.