Gerald Ford was the U.S. president during the 1976 Bicentennial celebration.
Ford became president in August 1974 and remained in office through the Bicentennial year. He participated in major commemorative events, including ceremonies in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Boston, and Concord, Massachusetts. He also presided over nationally televised fireworks in the capital.
The Bicentennial culminated on July 4, 1976, with celebrations marking 200 years since the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Ford’s presidency therefore links the earlier anniversary to the broader sequence leading toward America’s 250th anniversary in 2026.
A common mix-up is Richard Nixon, who was president during the early planning period but resigned in 1974. Jimmy Carter succeeded Ford after the 1976 election and was inaugurated in January 1977, after the Bicentennial celebrations had ended.