Field Guide and Themes

To encourage 250th anniversary programming that addresses the full sweep of our nation’s history and is relevant to present concerns, AASLH has developed Making History at 250: The Field Guide for the Semiquincentennial, a resource with guiding themes to help the history community prepare for 2026. Supported by the Mellon Foundation and created with the help of dozens of leading scholars, museum professionals, and public historians, these themes can provide cohesiveness to a multi-faceted, grassroots commemoration and entry-points for organizations all over the United States.

By exploring common questions in different contexts, this anniversary can help us advance a more widely shared story about our nation’s history, one that acknowledges its many tensions and ambiguities and that informs our present and future. Watch the 2021 launch event for the Making History at 250.

The guide’s five themes are:

• Unfinished Revolutions
• Power of Place
• We the People
• American Experiment
• Doing History

Read the guide in full to learn more about these themes.

The field guide has been sent to 20,000 practitioners nationwide. Thirteen thousand of these copies were made possible by a second printing funded by the William G. Pomeroy Foundation.

Programs and Resources

AASLH is producing a range of tools, programs, and events to help history organizations and practitioners prepare for the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026. You can find the upcoming and highlighted programs and resources below, but we encourage you to visit our 250th Anniversary Resource page for a comprehensive collections of toolkits, recordings, reports, and more.

Upcoming Programs

• Webinar series on May 24, June 28, and July 19
  • Interpreting the U.S. 250th at Your Site (sponsored by the Classical American Homes Preservation Trust)
  • Learn interpretive planning best practices, explore the Making History at 250 Field Guide, and connect the 250th to your site.
  • Attend one, two, or all three. Registration discount available when registering for all three.
  • Apply for a scholarship to attend all three sessions
  • May 24: Where to Begin
  • June 28: Connecting with Fieldwide Themes
  • July 19: Workshop Your Ideas
  • Register for the entire series

Key Resources

• Making History at 250: The Field Guide for the Semiquincentennial
• Technical Leaflet #300: Forming a Local 250th Commission
• A special address on the upcoming 250th by AASLH President and CEO John Dichtl 
• Will Gen Z Care About America’s 250th?, a blog post by Made By Us

External Funding Sources

Funding opportunities are emerging for projects and initiatives related to the Semiquincentennial. This page will be updated as new funding resources become available.

• National Endowment for the Humanities “A More Perfect Union”
• National Park Service Historic Preservation Semiquincentennial Grant Program

Meeting Policies

Meeting Safety & Responsibility Policy

AASLH is committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment for all meeting participants and AASLH staff. All participants, including, but not limited to, attendees, speakers, volunteers, exhibitors, AASLH staff, service providers, and others are expected to abide by this Meeting Safety & Responsibility Policy. This Policy applies to all AASLH meeting-related events, including those sponsored by organizations other than AASLH but held in conjunction with AASLH events, in public or private facilities. 

Unacceptable Behavior

AASLH has zero-tolerance for any form of discrimination or harassment in any form, including but not limited to sexual harassment by participants or our staff at our meetings. This policy also covers any virtual meetings hosted by the association. 

Examples of unacceptable behavior include, but are not limited to, verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, national origin, inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in public spaces or in presentations, or threatening, cyber-bullying, or stalking any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, AASLH staff member, service provider, or other meeting guests. 

Physical or verbal abuse of any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, AASLH staff member, service provider, or other meeting guest or disruption of presentations at sessions, in the exhibit hall, or at other events organized by AASLH  will not be tolerated. 

 If you experience harassment or hear of any incidents of unacceptable behavior, AASLH asks that you inform either John Dichtl, CEO, [email protected] or 615-320-3203 or Bethany Hawkins, Chief of Operations, [email protected] or 615-320-3203 so that we can take the appropriate action. You can also or email [email protected]. 

AASLH reserves the right to take any action deemed necessary and appropriate, including immediate removal from the meeting without warning or refund, in response to any incident of unacceptable behavior, and AASLH reserves the right to prohibit attendance at any future meeting. 

Based on guidelines from the American Society of Society Executives, https://annual.asaecenter.org/meetingsafety.cfm. 

More than 30 states have already established state commissions or similar entities to lead preparations for the 250th anniversary, with several more under active consideration. These state commissions will play an important role in determining the scope and direction of the commemoration, interfacing with the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission and America250, recognizing local programming, and distributing funding. From state to state, these “state commissions” take different forms, but most opt for one of two general approaches: 1) directing an existing agency/organization to lead preparation and programming, or 2) creating a new commission to plan and administer the state’s commemoration activities, with a combination of ex officio members and appointees.

This section contains the legislation or other documents related to the creation of these entities.

Last update: May 30, 2023

Pending Action

• California
• Hawaii
• Maine
• Minnesota
• Missouri
• Oklahoma (House and Senate)

Existing Commissions (32 states)

• Alabama created the “Alabama USA Semiquincentennial Commission” in February 2021. The Commission places Alabama’s “American Village” campus as the center of the state’s commemoration effort. Commission members will be appointed by the governor and leaders of the state legislature, with the possibility of a separate advisory committee that includes representatives from the state’s history and tourism organizations and agencies.
• Arizona established the Arizona America250 Commission in March 2022. The commission will include representatives, appointed by the governor, of the historic preservation, tourism, veterans, parks and recreation, arts, education, and business communities, as well as a representative of an recognized Indian tribe.
• Colorado passed their joint “America 250 – Colorado 150” commission in May 2022, placing it within History Colorado, the statewide history organization. It also includes an advisory panel comprised of regional tourism representatives. The commission is authorized to create additional advisory subcommittees as necessary.
• Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont created the “Connecticut Semiquincentennial Commission” through executive order on July 1, 2022. The commission will be responsible for organizing the state’s official commemoration activities and for providing aid to local institutions seeking to commemorate the Semiquincentennial. The 21-member commission includes representatives from across the state’s cultural, education, and Native communities.
• Illinois passed the Illinois America 250 in May 2022. It includes representatives from across the Illinois history and cultural community, and recommends the Commission consider the themes from the AASLH Making History at 250 Field Guide.
• Indiana established the Indiana Semiquincentennial Commission in February 2022. It includes several members appointed by the governor and legislature, representatives from major historical re-enactment and veterans groups, as well as representatives nominated by the state historical society, humanities council, museum association, social studies council, and Native American Commission.
• Kentucky used executive action to create a state 250th commission in 2020.
• Louisiana created a state America 250 commission in June 2022. It includes representatives from across the state’s historical and cultural community.
• Maryland established a 250th anniversary commission through an executive order from Gov. Larry Hogan in January 2021. The Commission will include up to 30 people, including the state archivist, state historic preservation officer, and chairs of commissions on African American history and culture and Indian affairs, among others.
• Massachusetts established a 250th commission through legislation in July 2021. It consists of 41 members, including representatives from statewide history and education organizations.
• Michigan designated the Historical Society of Michigan and the Michigan Historical Center as their lead organizations for 250th planning through executive action in late 2020.
• Mississippi established its state commission in March 2023 after Governor Tate Reeves signed a state senate bill into law.
• Montana established a state 250th commission in May 2023 after Governor Greg Gianforte signed a state House bill into law.
• Nebraska passed legislation in May 2021 to establish a Semiquincentennial Commission housed within the Nebraska State Historical Society, led by Director & CEO Trevor Jones. The commission will include 17 members, with appointments by the Governor to include a diverse set of members across Nebraska’s three congressional districts from Native American to Latin-American public history professionals. A Semiquincentennial Commission Fund was created to receive funds appropriated by the legislature and gifts, grants, or donations from federal, state, public, and private resources.
• New Hampshire created the “American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission” in April 2022. It includes several elected officials, along with representatives from the state historical society, university, commission on Native American affairs, along with several others.
• New Jersey passed legislation in 2018 requiring the existing New Jersey Historical Commission to establish a program for commemorating the Semiquincentennial and permitting them to enter into a public-private partnership with a nonprofit to plan and carry out that work. It also appropriates $500,000 annually through 2028 for that purpose.
• New York created the New York State 250th Commemoration Commission through legislation in December 2021. It includes the New York State historian as well as representatives with expertise in history, museums, education, and other fields.
• North Carolina created a 250th committee organized by the state’s Department of Natural and Cultural Resources’ Office of Archives and History. This committee was designated as entity responsible for 250th planning in the state by executive action in October 2019.
• North Dakota passed legislation in April 2021 creating their America 250 Commission housed within the North Dakota State Historical Society chaired by the historical society representative. The commission will be comprised of 13 members including a representative from each congressional district and collaboration with the State Society Daughters of the American Revolution. The commission will be funded through both public and private resources, with appropriations from general funds to jumpstart preparations.
• Ohio established its state 250th commission in June 2021, consisting of a combination of political appointees and representatives from relevant state agencies.
• Pennsylvania created the Pennsylvania Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial, or “America250PA,” in 2018. The commission consists of two members from each chamber of the legislature (one from each party), in addition to twenty-four private citizens, four each appointed by the minority and majority leader of each chamber and the Governor. It also includes several ex officio members, including the state’s Attorney General, Auditor General, and Treasurer; the secretaries of Education, Transportation, Conservation and Natural Resources; the chairs of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and Pennsylvania Council on the Arts; and several others.
• Rhode Island formed a state commission through legislation in June 2021. “RI 250” includes 30 members, a mix of private citizens and government officials, including representatives from the state’s history and historic preservation communities.
• South Carolina in 2019 formed the South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission. The Commission includes fifteen members, including the Governor, Chairman of the Archives and History Commission, Director of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism (all ex officio); and four members each appointed by the Senate, House of Representatives, and Governor. The legislation requires that at least one of the members appointed by the Senate, House, and Governor be “of African-American descent.” It further stipulates that “This proper observance of the Sestercentennial must include the role of persons of African-American descent in the Revolutionary War.” The Commission is encouraging counties to set up local committees and history organizations are urged to be involved in these committees. The Commission’s website has a handbook and steps for creating a local committee and offers grants to do so.
• South Dakota formed the America 250 Executive Committee and started meeting in 2022.
• Tennessee created the Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial in 2019. Attached to the Department of Tourist Development, the commission includes the heads of the states major historical and museum institutions (state historical society, state historical commission, state museum, state library and archives) and several others, including the commissioner of tourist development, representatives from the Tennessee chapters of the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution, the executive director of the East Tennessee Historical Society, and two members from each chamber of the legislature.
• Texas has established the Texas America 250 Commission through legislation passed in May 2021 consisting of members from the Office of the Governor, Economic Development and Tourism, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission, the State Board of Education, the Bullock Texas State History Museum, the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, and other related historical organizations in addition to federal designees residing in Texas. Funding will be provided exclusively through donations and federal funds.
• Utah passed a resolution in 2020 recognizing the U.S. Semiquincentennial and requesting that the Governor organizes a state commission to observe the anniversary.
• Vermont created a 250th anniversary commission through an executive order from Gov. Phil Scott. The Vermont Commission will include up to 14 members, including the state historic preservation officer, state librarian, representative of the Vermont Historical Society, along with members of the public appointed by the governor, stipulated to include a representative from a Vermont history museum, a Revolutionary War historian, a Revolutionary War reenactment group, and a member of the Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs.
• Virginia has a state 250th commission that recognizes a state agency (Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation) and private organization (Virginia Museum of History and Culture) as the state’s lead entities for 250th planning. It includes representatives of both organizations, other private citizens, and several ex-officio members.
• Washington established its Semiquincentennial Committee in March 2022. Its membership includes members appointed by the governor and legislature, as well as members nominated by the Washington State Historical Society; regional history groups and historic preservation groups; state commissions on African American, Hispanic, Asian American, affairs; and LGBTQ and women’s commissions. The Washington State Historical Society will serve as the administrator of the committee.
• West Virginia created the West Virginia Semiquincentennial Commission in March 2021. West Virginia’s commission consists of 24 members that include 10 members appointed by the governor, and 14 ex-officio members consisting of legislators, state officials, a member of the Sons of the Revolution, a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the members of the West Virginia congressional delegation.
• Wisconsin created the state’s 250th commission in December 2021. It includes representatives from the state historical society, veterans museum, among other private citizens and government representatives.