As America looks ahead to its 250th anniversary, the nation’s past is likely to be just as contested as its present

On July 4th, 2026, the United States will celebrate its 250th anniversary. Thomas Cryer looks at the work of the US Semiquincentennial Commission ahead of the anniversary, writing that the planned ‘America250’ celebrations are unconnected, and tend to compartmentalise American history rather than evoking a straightforward national narrative. This disconnectedness, he argues, risks creating a vacuum in which current politicians may push their own partisan values and narratives.