What was the official name of the federal commission created to plan America’s 250th anniversary?

The official name of the federal commission created to plan America’s 250th anniversary was the United States Semiquincentennial Commission.

Congress established the commission through the United States Semiquincentennial Commission Act of 2016. Its assignment was to coordinate observances commemorating the history of the United States leading up to the 250th anniversary in 2026.

“America250” is the public-facing brand associated with the commemoration, but it is not the commission’s full statutory name. The phrase “semiquincentennial” refers to a 250th anniversary, using Latin-derived number elements for half of 500.

The commission’s role is also distinct from the American Revolution Bicentennial Commission, which helped organize the 1976 observance. The two bodies belong to different anniversary campaigns separated by half a century.