RALEIGH —President Donald Trump issued an executive order last month outlining actions in preparation for the 250th celebration of America’s independence on July 4, 2026.
“It is the policy of the United States, and a purpose of this order, to provide a grand celebration worthy of the momentous occasion of the 250th anniversary of American Independence on July 4, 2026. It is also the purpose of this order to take other actions to honor the history of our great Nation,” the order reads.
The order creates the White House Task Force on Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday, which will be chaired by Trump, with Vice President JD Vance serving as vice chair.
The task force also includes 14 high-ranking officials, including various Cabinet secretaries and department heads, and will be responsible for planning and coordinating celebrations and events.
The task force will be housed under the Department of Defense and will coordinate with various agencies to organize the celebration. All agencies are required to submit reports about their planning and activities related to the anniversary celebration by March 1.
Additionally, Trump’s order reinstates two previous executive orders related to the National Garden of American Heroes and calls for expanding the number of historically significant Americans honored in the garden to 250. It also reinstates an executive order protecting American monuments from vandalism, specifically citing recent incidents of pro-Hamas-related vandalism and assaults on federal officers in Washington, D.C., in 2024.
In North Carolina, the America 250 North Carolina county grant deadline has been extended to Feb. 28. The grants are designed to support America 250 N.C. programming, research and events. Questions about the extended deadline or about what work is eligible to receive grants should be directed to Dan Brosz at Dan.Brosz@dncr.nc.gov.
The next quarterly America 250 N.C. stakeholder meeting will take place on Feb. 18 at 10 a.m. via Zoom at tinyurl.com/nsj-250zoom. The public can attend using meeting ID 161 460 0520 and passcode A250NC.
Anyone interested in becoming a stakeholder or participating in meetings should contact Leigh Humen at america250nc@dncr.nc.gov.
Moores Creek National Battlefield will be hosting “Living History” events Feb. 22-23 that include musket and cannon demonstrations, battlefield tours and other exhibits. For more information, visit nps.gov/mocr.
Throughout February, PBS North Carolina will be broadcasting an episode of “Travels with Darley” called “Revolutionary Road Trip.” The program will “explore Revolutionary War history, Civil War stories, Civil Rights history, and regional cuisines” across North Carolina.
The program will air on the Explorer Channel, the North Carolina channel and PBC North Carolina:
- Explorer Channel: Feb. 8, 7 a.m.; Feb. 11, 9 p.m.; Feb. 12, 8 a.m.; Feb. 24, 6 a.m.
- North Carolina Channel: Feb. 11, 10:30 p.m.; Feb. 12, 3 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
- PBS North Carolina: Feb. 15, 3 p.m.
