The United States Semiquincentennial is the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence which will occur on July 4, 2026. In 2023, Governor Moore authorized the Maryland 250 Commission and charged it with developing, encouraging, and executing an inclusive observance of the 250th Anniversary that recognizes all Marylanders’ struggle for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness before, during, and after the Revolution, and identified three themes - history, civics, and service.

Here in Prince George’s County, Anacostia Trails Heritage Area (ATHA), the non-profit management entity of the county’s state-certified cultural tourism district, together with PG Parks in the Maryland-National Capital Parks and Planning Commission began convening an ad-hoc group of professionals and volunteers working in the fields of history, education, leadership, volunteerism, civics, placemaking, and others. 

The goal of Prince George’s County 250 (PGC250) is to create a space for conversation and collaboration to spark ideas and partnerships to creatively illustrate and interpret our region’s contributions to American history.  Together, the group has chosen “We The People” as the lens of our approach with a focus on the contributions of Prince Georgians, past and present, to the ongoing American Experiment. 

Hosted at historic sites or public libraries, the group started meeting in Spring 2024 and has semi-regular meetings about once a month throughout the year and we expect meetings to continue on this same schedule in 2025. As a fiscal sponsor, ATHA has been awarded competitive grants from Maryland Humanities and Maryland 250 to fuel this initiative.

We are inviting you, your colleagues, your neighbors, to join in the planning of this opportunity to highlight Prince George’s County’s immense ongoing contributions to America.