Obama, Bush join forces to celebrate America's 250th anniversary amid political polarization – Winnipeg Free Press

Former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush will join an initiative to commemorate America’s bicentennial in 2026, underscoring the initiative’s efforts to create a bipartisan dynamic in an era of extreme political polarization.

Former presidents and first ladies Michelle Obama and Laura Bush will serve as honorary chairs of America250, the organization created by Congress in 2016 to oversee the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Commission leaders hope that bringing together the two recent Democratic and Republican presidents will serve as an example of bipartisan cooperation in a country where political agreements seem rare and where concerns are growing about the potential for violence, particularly ahead of a divisive presidential election.

The White House is lit with the colors of the American flag to cheer on the U.S. team competing in the Paris Olympics, Monday, July 29, 2024, in Washington. Former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush will join an effort to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary in 2026, highlighting the initiative’s efforts to build bipartisan momentum in an era of extreme political polarization. Former presidents and first ladies Michelle Obama and Laura Bush will serve as honorary national co-chairs of America250, the organization created by Congress in 2016 to oversee celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Rosie Rios, former US Treasury Secretary and head of America250, stressed that the committee organizing the celebration “has representation from all walks of life.”

“This is a grassroots effort that all Americans from Guam to Alaska, Fairbanks to Philadelphia and everywhere in between feel like they can be a part of,” Rios said. “This is about celebrating and commemorating that we are the oldest democracy in the world.”

The multi-year semiquincentennial celebration will include events in all 50 states and six U.S. territories. It will formally kick off on July 4, 2026, during an MLB game between the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs at American Family Field in Milwaukee.

It will also include a service project called America Gives, an effort to collect oral histories of Americans, and a nationwide scholastic competition in which students will reflect on what America means to them. The Obamas said they look forward to reflecting on American history and “the remarkable stories that make our country the place it is today.”

“America is not the same country it was 250 years ago — but there are threads that lead us back to the very beginning of everything,” they said in a statement. “Our history plays a huge role in shaping the future we hope to create.”