President Gerald Ford presided over the 1976 Bicentennial fireworks display in Washington, D.C.
The fireworks were part of the nationwide celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Major cities staged their own displays, while Washington’s celebration received national television coverage and the attention of the federal government.
Ford was president during the Bicentennial year, serving from 1974 to 1977. He had become president after Richard Nixon resigned in 1974, making him the only U.S. president who was never elected as either president or vice president. His administration emphasized the anniversary as a moment of national remembrance and renewal.
The Washington festivities were only one part of a much larger program. Other major events included the international sailing parade in New York Harbor, the visit of Queen Elizabeth II, exhibitions at the Smithsonian, and the nationwide tour of the American Freedom Train. Jimmy Carter was elected president later in 1976, but he did not preside over the Bicentennial fireworks.