In 2026, the United States will celebrate its 250th birthday. A series of events are already being planned, which you can find online.

New York State, which played an important role in the American Revolution between 1774 and 1783, will also commemorate the event.

Last year, a bill was signed into law in Albany that will create a commission and make an event out of commemorating that time in history.

The 250th Commemoration Act was sponsored by Senator Shelley Mayer of Westchester and Assemblymember Carrie Woerner of Round Lake, and is part of a national effort to commemorate the founding of the United States.

Rich Pyszczek is an award-winning social studies teacher from the Buffalo Public Schools, and one of the commission planners.

“We are in the planning stages of getting these events coordinated across the state,” Pyszczek said. “New York State Historian Devin Lander is taking the lead on that.”

Pyszczek and others are currently working to promote statewide events that will begin as soon as next week.

He said the difference between the Bicentennial back in 1976 and the nation’s 250th birthday will be that the upcoming celebration will commemorate U.S. history from 1776 to the present day.

The commemoration is expected to highlight some lesser-known stories from that period, about women, African Americans and Native Americans who didn’t immediately benefit from the ideals of the revolution.