Gerald Ford was the U.S. president during the 1976 bicentennial, the previous major national celebration before America250.
The bicentennial marked the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It culminated on July 4, 1976, with nationwide celebrations, fireworks, parades, exhibitions, and maritime events.
Ford presided over the national festivities, including fireworks in Washington, D.C. He also participated in events connected with Operation Sail in New York Harbor, where an international fleet gathered for the anniversary.
The president is sometimes confused with Jimmy Carter because Carter won the 1976 election and took office in January 1977. Richard Nixon was president when the American Revolution Bicentennial Commission was reorganized in the early 1970s, but he resigned in 1974, two years before the celebration.