Gerald Ford led the United States Bicentennial celebrations that preceded America250.
The Bicentennial commemorated the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and culminated on July 4, 1976. Gerald Ford, the 38th president, was in office during the national anniversary and participated in major observances, including celebrations in Philadelphia and the reading of the Declaration.
The 1976 event was organized through federal and state programs over several years. Its symbols included a distinctive red, white, and blue Bicentennial logo, special commemorative projects, exhibitions, parades, and public ceremonies.
America250 follows the Bicentennial by half a century. Both anniversaries center on July 4 and the Declaration’s adoption, but they are separate observances. Jimmy Carter became president in January 1977, after the Bicentennial year, while Richard Nixon had left office in 1974.