The Lead-Up to the 250th
How did you celebrate America’s birthday this year? The build-up for the semiquincentennial celebration was felt everywhere. The 250th hats and shirts were for sale just about anywhere we looked and worn proudly at every parade, party, and fireworks show.
A Year in the Making
The America 250th organization was planning for years. They hosted citywide block parties and organized a country record-breaking volunteer goal in their “America Gives” initiative. Even a soundtrack was made, featuring a curated playlist of songs that represent America, the milestones it has celebrated, and the hard times endured together. But it didn’t stop there.
Of course, our favorite was the initiative titled Our American Story. This year-long, cross-country project gathered a collection of American voices sharing their stories. And I couldn’t wait to watch!
“America’s 250th anniversary is about more than reflecting on our past; it’s about honoring the contributions of individuals who built this country, the innovations that put this country on the map and a man on the moon, and imagining what the next 250 years might look like for our children and the generations to come.”
Rosie Rios, Chair, U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission
Watch real Americans share what the country’s semiquincentennial anniversary means to them in this video storytelling project.
Voices From the Project
Joseph Almeda was interviewed at Fenway Park, where he works as a tour guide. He shared his story of what America means to him. With Parents born in Portugal, English was not his first language. But Baseball enabled him to intermingle with neighbors
Almeda stated, “They didn’t really care where you came from; can you play baseball? That’s the essence of America, you know we all come together as one. When my parents came here, they were blue-collar workers. Their whole emphasis was to make life better for them and their children. That was America’s dream.”
Others echoed that same theme of resilience and unity — a WWII veteran reflecting on quiet heroism, a nonprofit founder describing America as a place of limitless ambition, and another calling it a melting pot built by generations of hands.
Multiple stories shared a similar sense of what America feels like. The feeling of freedom. Freedom to choose who you are and what you want to be, something we sometimes take for granted in America.
NFL Hall of Famer: Darrell Green said, “When America has a birthday, it tells you that we’re doing ok. We’re not what we were yesterday; we’re moving forward toward tomorrow”
Why Storytelling Matters
These feelings can only be shared through video storytelling. The only way you can truly understand the excitement, the pride is to hear it from those who are experiencing it. You can hear the emotion in their voice, watch their expressions change when they reminisce on the hard times, and see the relief when they share the great ones.
Keep the Momentum Going
Keep sharing your stories to preserve the American voice. We’re always here to help. Let’s Chat!