America250MI:
Michigan’s Semiquincentennial Legacy
America250MI's Strategic Goals
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Awareness - Discover and commemorate Michigan's Revolutionary Era
(Late 1700s), and its significant people, places, and events. -
Promotion - Support and promote local 250th anniversary commemorative events, arts, preservation, heritage tourism, and educational programming by telling Michigan's stories from many points of view.
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Support Grants - Our grants will support historical organizations that undertake initiatives to interpret, preserve, and explore Michigan's rich and diverse history, foster collaboration, and enhance accessibility to its impact on all communities.
America250MI’s statewide impact included Rounds 1 and 2 of the History Grant Program, which disbursed $2 million to 99 historical 501(c)(3) organizations, tribal nations, and municipalities across Michigan. The initiative Sharing the Spirit of America: The Public Reading of the Declaration of Independence engaged more than 10,000 Michiganders, included over 250 participating organizations, and featured readings at 92 locations across the state. To support participation, America250MI developed a downloadable program packet, multilingual tools, and code of conduct and accessibility resources.
This work was anchored in America250MI’s 5 Guiding Themes — Unfinished Revolutions, Power of Place, American Experiment, We the People, and Doing History. These themes shaped grants, storytelling, communications, local committee planning, and public programs, helping communities connect Michigan history to broader questions of liberty, belonging, civic life, historical interpretation, and the ongoing work of building a more inclusive future.
As this website transitions from an active planning hub to a read-only legacy resource, it remains a record of the people, partnerships, programs, and resources that shaped Michigan’s Semiquincentennial. Thank you to every community, organization, educator, volunteer, partner, and participant who helped bring America250MI to life. Michigan’s commemoration was built by communities, strengthened by partnerships, and inspired by the enduring Spirit of America.
America250MI, Michigan’s Committee for the United States Semiquincentennial, was established by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2020 to encourage, advance, and support the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the founding of the United States, and the American Revolution’s connection to Michigan’s history.
Working with communities, municipalities, tribal nations, cultural and civic organizations, libraries, museums, educational institutions, local leaders, residents, and the Michigan Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), America250MI helped Michigan reflect on America’s story through a statewide lens. This work encouraged thoughtful engagement with histories that are inspiring, difficult, complex, and often underrepresented.
Image Disclosure
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