Which U.S. president led the 1976 celebration of the nation’s Bicentennial?

Gerald Ford led the United States’ 1976 Bicentennial celebration as president.

The Bicentennial culminated on July 4, 1976, exactly 200 years after the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. Ford had become president in 1974 after Richard Nixon resigned, so he was in office for the anniversary year.

The celebration included ceremonies, public events, historical programs, and patriotic displays throughout the country. It was designed to commemorate the American Revolution and the creation of the United States, not simply to mark the age of the federal government.

America250 follows the same anniversary pattern at 250 years. The earlier event is a useful comparison, but the two celebrations have different official names: 1976 was the Bicentennial, while 2026 is the Semiquincentennial.