A More Perfect Union: Exploring America’s Story and Celebrating Its 250 Years of Cultural Heritage

On July 4, 2026, America will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the nation’s principles of equality, liberty, and government by consent of the governed. This historic milestone is an opportunity for Americans to reflect on the nation’s past, honor the contributions of all Americans, celebrate the nation’s rich cultural heritage, and look toward its next 250 years – it is an opportunity that calls for the humanities.

Accordingly, in 2019, NEH launched "A More Perfect Union." This special initiative leverages the humanities to promote a deeper understanding of America’s history and culture, advance civics education and knowledge of the nation’s core principles of government, and preserve and provide access to the nation’s heritage.

Through "A More Perfect Union", NEH funds humanities projects that:

• Engage the public in American history
• Preserve and provide access to the nation’s heritage
• Build secure and sustainable cultural resources for future generations
• Strengthen teaching and learning about American history
• Advance scholarly research on American history
• Leverage technology to explore America’s past

Since the launch of "A More Perfect Union", NEH has awarded more than $85 million to support scholarly research, educational resources, and public humanities in all 50 U.S. states and six jurisdictions. We encourage you to join us in celebrating 250 years of America’s culture, heritage, and history by discovering NEH-supported humanities projects.

NEH is an ex officio member of the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, created by Congress to commemorate our nation's founding.

National Opportunities through America250