Welcome Back t0 America250MI!
For the past three 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!
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.
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.
As we transition this website from an active planning and community 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.
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.
“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,"
The Declaration of Independence
5 Guiding Themes
The 5 Guiding Themes — Unfinished Revolutions, Power of Place, American Experiment, We the People, and Doing History — were the core of the America250MI program and the foundation for all of its programs and services. These themes shaped the History Grant Program, where applicants were asked to use them as the basis for their projects; guided the narratives developed for America250MI’s social media campaign and newsletter; informed the work of the Community Hub; and provided local committees with a meaningful framework for planning commemorative activities across the state. Together, the themes created a baseline for Michigan’s commemoration of the Semiquincentennial, helping communities connect local history to broader questions of liberty, belonging, place, civic life, historical interpretation, and the ongoing pursuit of a more inclusive future.
"That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it."
The America250MI
Program Guide
The America250MI Program Guide served as the foundational planning document for Michigan’s commemoration of the Semiquincentennial. Built around the 5 Guiding Themes, the guide provided a shared framework for communities, historical organizations, educators, cultural institutions, local committees, and civic partners as they developed programs, events, exhibits, grants, educational initiatives, and public engagement opportunities. It helped establish a consistent statewide approach to the commemoration by encouraging Michiganders to explore Michigan’s role in the American story before, during, and after the Revolutionary Era, while also recognizing the complexity, diversity, and continuing relevance of that history.
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.
About America250 National
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I look forward to Michigan’s participation in this commemoration."
Sincerely,
Gretchen Whitmer
Governor of Michigan
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.
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
