Beyond 250

The United States of America will observe the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026. This semiquincentennial of the nation provides an opportunity to reflect on our complex founding and history, lift up under-told stories, and appreciate diverse perspectives about the past, present, and future of our nation.

At Oregon Humanities, we're calling our work around this anniversary Beyond 250. In 2025 and 2026, we will hold conversations, create spaces for reflection and mutual understanding, and think together about the next 250 years.

 

Consider This

Our 2025–26 Consider This series will explore what this anniversary means through onstage conversations in Portland and other communities around Oregon. How do we think about and experience equality, freedom, independence, tyranny, justice, union, and other ideas central to the Declaration and to our nation’s understanding of itself? How has the Declaration shaped the country we live in today, and how might we shape its future?

 

Community Conversations

Throughout 2026, Oregon Humanities will get Oregonians together to talk about democracy, freedom, and what it means to be an American—today and into the future. These conversations will happen at libraries, colleges, museums, and other venues across the state. These ninety-minute programs are spaces to share thoughts and experiences, listen to and learn from one another, and think together about the future of our democracy and our communities. Read more about these community conversations.

 

Dear Stranger

Dear Stranger is an ongoing letter-exchange program that invites Oregonians to write a letter to someone they’ve never met. For Beyond 250, we have partnered with libraries and museums across the state to host Dear Stranger drop boxes and invite patrons and visitors to write letters. Hosts may keep the boxes for as long as they’d like, so there are plenty of future opportunities for participants to send a letter. We plan to design program templates in 2025 that hosts can use to engage their letter writers. In 2026, we’ll connect the prompts to the 250th anniversary.

Read more about Dear Stranger and see where our partners are hosting drop boxes.

 

Trainings for Libraries

In 2024 and 2025, we worked with Oregon libraries to train staff, volunteers, board members, and program partners to plan and lead conversations about freedom, equality, monuments and memories, the future, and other topics. We held six trainings in partnership with libraries in Corvallis, Grants Pass, Hillsboro, Maupin, Newport, and Pendleton for people associated with libraries throughout the wider regions where these libraries are situated. These trainings were supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

 

Beyond 250 Toolkit

Want to host your own Beyond 250 conversations? Dowload our toolkit to get started (PDF hosted on Google Drive).

 

Additional Programming

As we near 2026, we’ll publish essays in Oregon Humanities magazine and episodes of The Detour connected to the 250th. Follow us on social media and subscribe to our newsletter for updates!

 

Read more about the semiquincentennial

 

Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities or Oregon Humanities.