Gerald Ford was the U.S. president in office during the 1976 Bicentennial, the predecessor to America250.
The United States Bicentennial marked the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Its principal national observance culminated on July 4, 1976, during Ford’s presidency.
Ford became president in August 1974 after Richard Nixon resigned. He was the only person to serve as U.S. president without being elected president or vice president, having been appointed vice president after Spiro Agnew resigned.
The 1976 celebration used nationwide events, exhibits, parades, and commemorative objects to connect the Revolutionary era with modern American life. America250 follows that earlier milestone by marking 250 years rather than 200, while retaining the central connection to the 1776 Declaration.