News : Plans underway to celebrate the Country's 250th

By Robin Opsahl

As the country approaches the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, federal organizers are asking Iowa and other states to start preparing for celebrations of American history.

July 4, 2026, will mark 250 years since the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. While that date is still more than two years away, the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, established by Congress in 2016, is reaching out to state governments and historical societies to begin planning events and programs around the milestone.

Former U.S. Treasurer Rosie Rios, who serves at the chair of the nonpartisan commission also known as America250, said the panel is ramping up efforts to establish state commissions across the country. The state groups will work on programming around the national anniversary - as well as ways to highlight states' local history.

America250 is asking all states and territories, as well as the District of Columbia, to establish state commissions in charge of planning the semiquincentennial by July 4, 2024, Rios said.

So far, 39 panels have been established in states including Iowa's neighbors of Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin and South Dakota. Iowa has not yet established a commission on the national anniversary. Rios said that she is in contact with Gov. Kim Reynolds and the State Historical Society of Iowa to "start the conversation" about creating the body.

The former treasurer said ensuring states like Iowa participate in the national celebration is one of her biggest priorities, and a necessary part of ensuring Americans from all walks of life are represented.

"We want this to come from Middle America," Rios said. "This isn't just about the coasts this is you know, I say from Fairbanks to Philadelphia - this is from Des Moines to Sioux City. This is everyone coming together and thinking about what this means to them, what it's meant to their families in the past, what it means to them today and maybe what it means to them in the future."

Reynolds said Iowa is looking forward to celebrating in 2026.

"Iowans are patriotic and love this country," Reynolds said in a statement. "We are all excited to celebrate America's 250th birthday."

Commissions have been established in other states through legislative action, executive order, or by a governor directing an agency like the State Historical Society or Department of Education to organize the effort.

Rios said these panels, in collaboration with America250, will work on making the 250th celebration the "most comprehensive and patriotic and inclusive commemoration that this country has ever seen." The three big focuses will be on events, experiences and education, she said.

Once state groups form, the federal commission works to set up ways for residents to engage with the 250th anniversary in multiple ways. She said alongside work with historical groups and government agencies, America250 is also working with state education panels to make use of the historical milestone in schools.

"People can also think about, you know, making social studies making civics education a priority again for this country, which I think is sorely needed," Rios said. "But more importantly, its about having your voice represented. As part of this federation, I think is going to be really, really instrumental in making sure that Iowa's well-represented across the board."

In addition to the state-specific projects, the group is also launching national projects like "America's Invitation," a program asking Americans to share their thoughts or make art about their hopes for the country's future, and plans to launch an initiative engaging students in 2024. The commission also plans to celebrate other famous events in American history in the lead up to 2026, such as the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party and the first Continental Congress.

Rios said she plans to head to the Iowa State Fair, an longtime important event in American political history, before 2026.

"I am a huge, huge state fair junkie and my goal would be to participate in one of the best state fairs this country's ever seen," she said.

Former president Donald Trump has called celebrating the national anniversary with a yearlong celebration from Memorial Day in 2025 through July 4, 2026. Trump, who is running again for president in 2024, said that he wants the Iowa State Fair to play a prominent role in the semiquincentennial celebrations.

"My hope is that the amazing people of Iowa will work with my administration to open up the legendary Iowa State Fairgrounds to host the great American state fair and welcome millions and millions of visitors from around the world to the heartland of America for this special one-time festival," Trump said in a May video.

Other federal entities are also hosting programs commemorating the 250th anniversary. The National Parks Service awarded $10 million to several cultural resource preservation projects in July as part of its Semiquincentennial Grant Program, including a $77,000 grant going to Iowa's state historical society.

The funding will go toward preservation work at the Blood Run National Historic Landmark, where the historical society plans to work with sovereign tribal nations who are descendants of people who inhabited the area to restore a spring at the landmark site to its "natural, unaltered state," according to an August news release.

"Iowans have a strong connection to the history of the land we call Iowa, dating back to the time of its earliest inhabitants," State Historic Sites Manager Michael Plummer said in the release. "We thank the National Park Service for this award and we are proud to work with sovereign tribal nations to restore Blood Run to its natural state."

-Iowa Capital Dispatch