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Michigan's Community Hub for the 250th  Anniversary of the Nation!

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Welcome Back to America250MI!

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For the past two years, America250MI has been on an extraordinary journey to help Michigan commemorate the Semiquincentennial—the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

 

                                   What a journey it has been!

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Together, we have reached thousands of Michiganders across the state, helping communities, organizations, educators, local leaders, and residents find meaningful ways to participate in this historic national milestone. Through America250MI, communities were able to form and register local committees, access planning tools and downloadable resources, adopt local resolutions, explore educational materials, submit and discover events through the statewide Events Calendar, participate in statewide programming, and join together for special initiatives such as Sharing the Spirit of America: The Public Reading of the Declaration of Independence.

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America250MI also proudly supported history-based organizations across Michigan through the America250MI Grant Program, awarding $2 million in funding to 88 nonprofit organizations, municipalities, and tribal nations. These grants helped strengthen local history, preserve important stories, and support meaningful commemorative projects in communities throughout the state.

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As we transition this website from an active planning hub to a read-only resource, we invite you to explore the many tools, materials, and programs that helped shape Michigan’s commemoration. From committee resources and program guides to educational materials, multilingual resources, accessibility guidance, DAR partnerships, grant recipients, and statewide participation efforts, this site reflects the remarkable work of Michiganders who came together to honor our shared history and imagine our nation’s future.

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The America250MI Events Calendar will remain active through December 31, 2026, allowing communities and organizations to continue sharing and discovering Semiquincentennial-related events across Michigan.

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Thank you for being part of this once-in-a-generation commemoration. America250MI has truly been a statewide effort—built by communities, strengthened by partnerships, and inspired by the enduring spirit of America. 

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“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
"—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed," 
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Sharing the
spirit of america
July 8, 1776 - july 8, 2026
6:PM EDT

Around the state
aroud the Nation
Around the Globe

Michigan showed what “community” looks
like when people show up!

On July 8, 2026, Sharing the Spirit of America brought communities together for a synchronized reading of the Declaration of Independence—a moment of renewal, not a reenactment. At 6:00 PM EDT (5:00 PM CDT), voices rose across the nation and the world in a shared commitment to hear, reflect on, and claim the promises at the heart of the founding document. 
 

The scale was extraordinary! Over 1,136 locations participated around the globe, spanning all 50 states, 5 territories, Washington, DC, and Minor Outlaying Islands, reaching 7 continents and 19 time zones. From widely recognized landmarks to local gathering places, the Declaration was read as a living text—one meant to be carried into present-day life, not kept sealed in history.

See Sharing the Spirit of Ameica Around the Globe

Nowhere was the impact more visible than in Michigan. In Michigan, there were 92 locations with over 10,000 people in attendance, and over 275 organizations that participated. Across the state, communities showed up—publicly, proudly, and together—turning a shared reading into shared ownership of the nation’s most enduring ideals.

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300+ Locations and Organizatios that participated in
Sharing the Spirit of America around Michigan:

  • 1st Michigan Colonial
    Fife and Drum Corps

  • 2|42 Community Church

  • 126 Army Band
    Michigan National Guard

  • 238 Aviation Regiment Michigan National Guard

  • Alma Church of God

  • Alma Keep Alma Beautiful

  • Alma Women's Club

  • America250MI

  • American Legion Auxiliary Post #81

  • American Legion Post #102

  • American Legion Post #108, Oxford

  • American Legion Post #334

  • American Legion Post #374, Berkley

  • American Legion Post #411, Hesperia

  • Arab American National Museum

  • Athens Area Historical Society

  • Athens Garden Club

  • Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center

  • Benzie Area Historical Society

  • Birmingham City Hall

  • Birmingham Museum

  • Birmingham Public Schools

  • Cannon Township

  • Cannon Township Fire Department

  • Cannon Township Historical Museum

  • Cannon Township Historical Society

  • Cast of “Come From Away”

  • Chapel African Methodist
    Episcopal Church

  • Church of the Holy City, Royal Oak

  • Charlevoix Historical Society

  • Children of the American Revolution

  • China Township

  • City of Birmingham

  • City of Caro Chamber of Commerce

  • City of Caro Exchange Club

  • City of Caro Moose Lodge

  • City of Caro – Parks & Recreation

  • City of Charlevoix

  • City of Farmington

  • City of Frankfort

  • City of Fremont

  • City of Gladwin

  • City of Greenville

  • City of Greenville
    Chamber of Commerce

  • City of Kego Harbor

  • City of Livonia

  • City of Monroe

  • City of Orchard Lake Village

  • City of Parchment

  • City of Royal Oak

  • City of St. Clair Shores

  • City of Sterling Heights

  • City of Sylvan Lake

  • City of Sylvan Lake Civic Center TV

  • City of Troy

  • City of Walled Lake

  • Clare High School

  • Clare VFW Post #5738

  • Clinton Township

  • Clinton Township Fire Department

  • Clinton Township
    Historical Commission

  • Clinton Township Historical Society

  • Clinton Township Medstar Ambulance.

  • Clinton Township Parks & Recreation

  • Clinton Township Police Department

  • Colonial Dames XVII Century

  • Coleman Historical Society

  • Commerce Township Area
    Historical Society

  • Communities Learning About
    Shared Spaces

  • Concord American Legion Post 81

  • Concord Branch of
    Jackson District Library

  • Concord High School Track Team

  • Concord- Pulaski Memorial
    American Legion

  • CrossPointe Church

  • Danish Festival, Greenville

  • Daughters and Sons of the
    American Revolution

  • Edenville Museum

  • Elberta Labor Heritage Center

  • Engadine Historical Society

  • Ephraim Wheaton Sons of the American Revolution

  • Evart Main Street DDA/MI Main Street

  • Farmington Hills Historic
    District Commission

  • Farmington Hills
    Historical Commission

  • Farmington Historical Society

  • Ferndale Memorial Association

  • Fighting Falcon Military Museum

  • First Methodist Church of Concord

  • Five Senses Gardens

  • Flat River Historical
    Society and Museum

  • Flushing Area Historical Society

  • Flushing Area Museum

  • Fort Mackinac

  • Fort St. Joseph Archaeology Project

  • Frankenmuth Historical Association

  • Frankenmuth Gemütlichkeit Club

  • Frankenmuth German
    Heritage Committee

  • Frankenmuth Historical Museum

  • Frankenmuth Seven Smart Club

  • Friends of the Governor
    Warner Mansion

  • Friends of Three Oaks Library

  • Frist Presbyterian Church of Concord

  • Girl Scouts of Michigan -
    Shore to Shore

  • Girl Scouts Unit 201, Hesperia

  • Gleaners Life Insurance

  • GoGratiot Arts and Culture

  • Grace A. Dow Library

  • Grand Rapids Public Library

  • Grand Valley State University

  • Gratiot County Historical & Genealogical Society

  • Gratiot Community Senior Center

  • Greater West Bloomfield
    Historical Society

  • Greenville Area
    Community Foundation

  • Greenville Middle School

  • Grosse Pointe

  • Grosse Pointe Farms

  • Grosse Pointe Shores

  • Grosse Pointe Woods

  • Harrison High School

  • Helping Hands Mission of Beaverton

  • Hesperia-Arcana Masonic Lodge #346

  • Hesperia Area Fire Dept

  • Hesperia and Fremont Scouters

  • Hesperia Chamber of Commerce

  • Historical Society of Clinton

  • Historical Society of Michigan

  • Hotel Frankfort

  • Houghton County Veterans
    Service Office

  • Huron Valley Democratic Club

  • Imagination Station – Garden City

  • Imlay City Historical Museum

  • Ingham County Historical Society

  • Kalamazoo Parks & Rec

  • Lake Orion Downtown
    Development Authority

  • Lake Orion High School Theatre Troupe 2898

  • Lake Orion Legion Post #233

  • Lake Orion Veteran's Memorial

  • Lake Orion Village Council Board

  • League of Women Voters
    of Kalamazoo

  • Les Cheneaux Community Library

  • Little Traverse Historical Society

  • Livonia Historical Society

  • Lowell Area Historical Museum

  • Macomb Cultural &
    Economic Partnership

  • Marquette Regional History Center

  • Mason County District Library

  • Mason Dems

  • Merritt Lamb Veterans Assoc.

  • Michigan Air and Army National Guard

  • Michigan History Center -
    The Mann House

  • Midland's America's 250 Celebration

  • Midland Area Community Foundation

  • Midland County Historical Society

  • Midland Veterans Coalition

  • Mills Community House

  • Monroe County Historical Society

  • Monroe County Museum System

  • Monroe County Opportunity Program

  • Monroe County Tourism Bureau

  • Monroe Family YMCA

  • Montcalm Community College

  • Muskegon USS LST 393
    Veterans Museum

  • National Park Service Monroe County

  • Niles History Center

  • North Farmington Burial Association

  • North Farmington
    Cemetery Association

  • Northville Historical Society

  • Oakland County Veterans’ Services

  • Oakland League of Women Voters

  • Oakland Township

  • Oakland Township Board of Trustees

  • Oakland Township Safety Paths
    and Trails

  • Oliver Art Center

  • Orion Area Chamber of Commerce

  • Orion Township

  • Orion Veterans Memorial

  • Our American Summer: Lake Orion

  • Oxford Village

  • Paddock Hubbard House Museum

  • Paint Creek United Methodist Church

  • Parchment Library

  • Parchment Veterans Memorial

  • Paw Paw Lake Yacht Club

  • Peninsula Community Library

  • Portage District Library

  • River Raisin National
    Battlefield Park Foundation

  • Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm

  • Rockford City Hall

  • Rockford Museum-Historical Society

  • Royal Oak 44th District Court

  • Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce

  • Royal Oak Community Concert Band

  • Royal Oak First United
    Methodist Church

  • Royal Oak Garden Club

  • Royal Oak High School

  • Royal Oak Historic Commission

  • Royal Oak Historical Society

  • Royal Oak Interclub Council

  • Royal Oak Leprechauns’
    Baseball Team

  • Royal Oak Middle School

  • Royal Oak Optimist Club

  • Royal Oak Police Department

  • Royal Oak Public Library

  • Royal Oak Ridge Elementary School

  • Royal Oak Salvation Army

  • Royal Oak School Board

  • Royal Oak Star

  • Royal Oak Veteran’s
    Foreign Wars VFW

  • Royal Oak Women’s Club

  • Royal Oak YMCA -South Oakland

  • Saint Anne Parish

  • St. Lorenz Heritage Committee

  • Sanford Centennial Museum

  • Schoolcraft 4th of July Committee

  • Scouting America – Michigan Crossroads Council

  • Scouts of America Troops 34 & 35

  • Sons of the American Revolution

  • Stair District Library

  • Sterling Heights Police Department Honor Guard

  • Stevenson High School
    Marching Band

  • Stewart Road Church

  • Support the Fort St. Josephs

  • Swift Printing

  • Sylvan Lake City Council

  • Sylvan Lake County Clerk

  • Tecumseh Area Historical
    Society & Museum

  • Tekonsha Township Library

  • The American Legion Family-Department of Michigan

  • The Henry Ford at Greenfield Village

  • The Honey Creek Inn

  • The Lakeside Association

  • The Little Traverse Bay
    Band of Odawa Indians

  • The Sons of Union Veterans

  • The War Memorial

  • The Wright House

  • Three Oaks Township Public Library

  • Tompkins Historical Society Museum

  • Troy Historic Village

  • Veterans Tribute of Oakland Township

  • Vicksburg Historical Society and Historic Village

  • Village of Concord

  • Village of Hesperia

  • Village of Three Oaks

  • Walled Lake Masons -
    Masonic Lodge #528

  • West Shore Community College

  • Western Michigan University

  • Wheatland Public Library

  • White Lake Township Library

  • Wright Township
    Historical Commission

  • Young Historians at STHC
    Research Center

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​Sharing the Spirit of America:
The Daughters of the American Revolution Shine Brightly

Once again, the Michigan Daughters of the American Revolution came through in an extraordinary way. They not only did what they do best — honoring our nation’s history, preserving the stories of the past, promoting patriotic education, and inspiring civic pride in communities across Michigan — but they also brought that mission to life as 28 Michigan DAR Chapters organized readings throughout the state. The DAR have been incredibly energized and dedicated partners of America250MI, lending their time, leadership, and passion to help connect Michiganders with the meaning of this historic commemoration. We are exceedingly proud — and deeply grateful — to have had them as friends and partners in this important work.

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  • Nancy De Graff Toll Chapter

  • Nipissing Chapter

  • Onagomingkway Chapter

  • Philip Livingston Chapter

  • Piety Hill Chapter

  • Rogue River Chapter

  • Sarah Ann Cochrane Chapter

  • Sarah Treat Prudden Chapter

  • Samuel Felt Chapter

  • Stoney Creek Chapter

  • Three Flags Chapter

  • Sophie de Marsac Campau Chapter

  • US 12 Heritage Trail Chapter

  • Whispering Pines & Prairie Chapter

  • Bawating Le Saut De Sainte Marie Chapter

  • Battle Creek Chapter

  • Colonel Joshua Howard Chapter

  • Detroit Chapter

  • Hannah Tracy Grant Chapter

  • John Alden Chapter

  • John Crawford Chapter

  • Lucinda Hinsdale Stone Chapter

  • Lucy Wolcott Barnum

  • Lansing Chapter

  • Louisa St. Clair Chapter

  • Mary Marshall Chapter

  • Michilimackinac Chapter

  • Muskegon Chapter

Sharing the Spirit of America:
A Season of America250 at the University of Michigan

  • The Diag: Ann Arbor Campus

  • Center for Political Studies at
    the Institute for Social Research

  • David A. Breach School of Law

  • University of Michigan Democracy Program

  • Initiative for Democracy and Civic Engagement

  • Marsal Family School of Education

  • Rackham Student Government

  • Robert J. Vlasic School of Engineering

  • School of Art & Design

  • School of Dentistry

  • School of Pharmacy

  • School of Social Work

  • Strategic Initiatives & Internal Communications

  • U.S. at 250 at U-M

  • William L. Clements Library

The University of Michigan brought remarkable depth, energy, and purpose to Sharing the Spirit of America, with University President Domenico Grasso leading the reading on The Diag at the Ann Arbor campus. As part of the University’s broader U.S. at 250 Program — a project of the Initiative for Democracy and Civic Engagement, the Clements Library, and the Arts Initiative — this participation reflected Michigan’s longstanding legacy of fostering dialogue, embracing complexity, and reaffirming a shared commitment to the values of democracy. Recognizing that democracy is an ongoing and often challenging process, the University’s involvement helped spark meaningful campus-wide reflection on our shared past while empowering students, faculty, staff, and community members to imagine and work toward the future we hope to create over the next 250 years. Through its leadership and the engagement of partners across campus, the University of Michigan helped make Sharing the Spirit of America a powerful expression of civic responsibility, historical understanding, and hope for the generations to come.

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This map shows all of the 92 Sharing the Spirit of America locations around the State of Michigan

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Sharing the Spirit of America is the brainchild of Peter T. Young, a team member from the America250 Team in Hawai'i. America250MI would like to recognize and thank Peter for dedicating the past two years of his life to making Sharing the Spirit of America a reality. Your time, care, and commitment have helped bring this meaningfulmoment to life—and we are truly grateful.
 
 
 
With heartfelt appreciation, we thank you for helping inspire communities across the Islands of Hawai'i, the state of Michigan, the nation, and the entire world!
 
Mahalo—a heartfelt gratitude for life's blessings—for all you’ve done!
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A Season of America250 at Mackinac State Historic Parks

the american revolution at fort mackinac & colonial michilimackinac

America250MI invites you to Michigan’s direct, living connection to the Revolutionary War—nine historic sites that bring early American history to life across Mackinac. This season, Mackinac State Historic Parks invites you to feel the Revolution’s footprint on shores and forts, from Michilimackinac to Fort Mackinac.

These sites tell Michigan’s living Revolutionary story—a direct link to the founding era you can experience firsthand.

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A Season of America250 at The Henry Ford

America250MI invites you to a season of five remarkable experiences at The Henry Ford—stories of founders and makers, moments that shaped a nation, and intimate human-scale stories that connect Michigan to the broader American story. From the founding era to the ongoing pursuit of equality, these exhibits illuminate

courage, innovation, and democracy, inviting visitors to step into pivotal moments that define who we are. 

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"That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it."

Frontier to Freedom

Frontier to Freedom is an America250MI Tier 3 History Grant Recipient

For more information and to order tickets:

Frontier to Freedom is a historical documentary feature film that unearths the rich and often overlooked history of Michigan, tracing its evolution from a vast, untamed wilderness inhabited by Indigenous peoples in 1600 to its emergence as the 26th State in 1837. Through a blend of expert interviews, archival imagery, animated maps, and stunning visuals, the film explores the region’s formative years, its history of war and conflict on the American frontier, and the complex socio-political forces that shaped its path to statehood. 

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5 Guiding Themes

The America250MI program is built on the 5 Guiding Themes that serve as a framework for exploring Michigan's rich history and the narratives that shape our identity. These themes—Unfinished Revolutions, Power of Place, We the People, American Experiment, and Doing History—encourage us to dive into unheard stories, highlighting the experiences of marginalized communities and individuals throughout our state’s journey. By engaging with these themes, we not only celebrate our shared heritage but also foster a deeper understanding of the complexities in our past, paving the way for a better future. Together, we can ensure that all voices are recognized and valued in the Semiquincentennial Commemoration of the Declaration of Independence and America’s history.
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America250 is a nonpartisan initiative working to engage every American in commemorating the 250th anniversary of our country. This multi-year effort, from now through July 4, 2026, is an opportunity to pause and reflect on our nation’s past, honor the contributions of all Americans, and look ahead toward the future we want to create for the next generation and beyond.
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The America250MI

Program Guide

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Welcome to the America250MI Program Guide—your essential resource for Michigan’s celebration of the U.S. 250th birthday. It highlights our Five Guiding Themes, offers actionable participation ideas, showcases unique Michigan perspectives, and provides outreach resources to help you engage communities across the state.

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Our Mission

America250MI will engage all Michiganders in exploring the legacy of the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution (late 1700s), fostering collaboration to explore Michigan's history from that pivotal moment to today, and build a better future.
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Our Vision

America250MI will unite Michigan communities to commemorate our shared heritage and significant contributions to the American story, uncovering unheard voices, fostering historical awareness, and inspiring lasting civic pride.
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America250MI is a program of the Historical Society of Michigan and the Michigan History Center. Governor Gretchen Whitmer designated these two organizations as the official points of contact for the commemoration of the Semiquincentennial.
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A Public Private Partnership
Celebrating Michigan
History!

"I am designating the directors of our private and our public statewide history organizations as Michigan’s official points of contact for the commemoration of the Michigan USA 250th Committee. Larry Wagenaar is the executive director of the Historical Society of Michigan and Sandra Clark is the director of the Michigan History Center, part of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

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I look forward to Michigan’s participation in this commemoration."

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Sincerely,

 

 

Gretchen Whitmer
Governor of Michigan
 

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Historical Society of Michigan

Established in 1828, the Historical Society of Michigan is Michigan's oldest cultural organization and helps connect Michigan’s past to its residents and organizations through programs and events, publications, awards, workshops, networking opportunities and support for local history organizations. The society is a member-supported educational 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and receives no state-appropriated funding. 
Learn more at hsmichigan.org.

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Michigan History Center

The Michigan History Center fosters curiosity, enjoyment and inspiration rooted in Michigan's stories through museums, historic sites, Michigan Historical Markers, heritage trails, archaeology and programming. The center, a part of the Department of Natural Resources, manages 11 museums statewide, museum and archaeology artifact collections and various educational programs. Learn more at 

michigan.gov/mhc/museums.

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