America's 250th Anniversary

Published: May 14, 2026

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Celebrating the Signing of the Declaration of Independence

July 4, 2026, will be the nation's semiquincentennial anniversary, marking 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Image: John Trumbull's "The Declaration of Independence" hangs in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol. Depicting the drafting committee presenting the document to the Continental Congress, the painting commemorates the signers. Source: Signers of the Declaration: Historic Places Commemorating the Signing of the Declaration of Independence*

The U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission was established by Congress (P.L. 114-196) in 2016 to lead the nationwide commemoration of this anniversary. The Commission's goal was to inspire Americans to participate in the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, and to orchestrate the largest and most inclusive anniversary observance in our nation’s history.

On January 29, 2025, Executive Order 14189 established the White House Task Force on "Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday Task Force 250" to provide a "grand celebration worthy of the momentous occasion of the 250th anniversary of American Independence on July 4, 2026." It is also the purpose of this order to take other actions to honor the history of our great Nation. This Task Force began on Memorial Day, 2025, and will continue through the end of 2026. "The White House is engaging all levels of government, the private sector, non-profit and educational institutions, and every citizen across the country to celebrate this historic milestone. To achieve this ambitious vision, we have created a new public-private partnership called Freedom 250."

Did You Know?
"To celebrate the Nation's Semiquincentennial (SemiQ), the United States Mint is proud to unveil one-year-only changes to well-known American coinage, such as the circulating dime, quarter, and half dollar. The Mint will also release special numismatic coins and medals in 2026 featuring unique designs and enhancements for core products and annual releases."
Read more about these coins and medals on the U.S. Mint's website.
Image: Some of the U.S. Mint's Semiquincentennial Coins & Medals

1 Stat. 1 - The Declaration of Independence. In Congress, July 4, 1776

Constitution of the United States and the Declaration of Independence, Pocket Edition (S. Doc 116-3)

Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation - Popularly known as the Constitution Annotated, this collection encompasses the U.S. Constitution and analysis and interpretation of the U.S. Constitution with in-text annotations of cases decided by the Supreme Court of the United States.

(Image: Cover of the Constitution of the United States and the Declaration of Independence, Pocket Edition)

Below are a few samples of the many collections on GovInfo that provide historic documents related to our nation's history and government.

Compilation of Presidential Documents — This collection is composed of the daily compilation of Presidential documents. It includes such material as proclamations, speeches, and press conferences, to name a few.

Congressional Bills — Congressional bills are legislative proposals from the House of Representatives and Senate within the United States Congress.

Congressional Documents — The Congressional Documents collection consists of House and Senate documents, Senate Executive documents, and Senate Treaty documents.

Congressional Hearings — A hearing is a meeting or session of a Senate, House, joint, or special committee of Congress, usually open to the public, to obtain information and opinions on proposed legislation, conduct an investigation, or evaluate/oversee the activities of a government department or the implementation of a Federal law.

Congressional Record — The official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. See issues prior to 1994 in the Bound Congressional Record. At the end of each session of Congress, all of the daily Congressional Record editions are collected, re-paginated, and re-indexed into a permanent, bound edition.

Congressional Reports — Congressional reports originate from congressional committees and deal with proposed legislation and issues under investigation.

Public and Private Laws — Public and private laws are also known as slip laws. A slip law is an official publication of the law and is competent evidence admissible in all state and Federal courts and tribunals of the United States. Public laws affect society as a whole, while private laws affect an individual, family, or small group.

United States Statutes at Large — The United States Statutes at Large, typically referred to as the Statutes at Large, is the permanent collection of all laws and resolutions enacted during each session of Congress.

Supreme Court Cases in the United States Reports — The cases of the Supreme Court of the United States are published officially in the United States Reports.

United States Congressional Serial Set
The United States Congressional Serial Set, commonly referred to as The Serial Set is a compilation of all numbered House and Senate reports and documents, including executive reports and treaty documents, issued for each session of Congress. Documenting events of the U.S. Congress over the years, the Serial Set is one of the Nation’s most treasured publications. The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO), in collaboration with the Law Library of Congress, has started a large multi-year effort to digitize and make accessible volumes of the U.S. Congressional Serial Set back to the first volume, which was published in 1817. Check out the U.S. Congressional Serial Set - Browse by Topic page for a wide selection of historic U.S. publications.

America's 250th Anniversary

Below are a few samples of the many collections on GovInfo that provide historic documents related to our nation's history and government.

Other major milestone year searches on GovInfo