As we look towards the 250th anniversary of America in 2026, it's important to ensure we are representing the breadth of experiences and diverse narratives that make up the nation's history. The easy route for Semiquincentennial planning is to celebrate the white history of our country.
I encourage you to take it a step farther and tell the less commonly told stories of your community. This anniversary provides an opportunity to shine a light on the contributions and stories of those often left out of the traditional historical narrative, including women, Native Americans, African Americans, and everyday citizens whose lives shaped our country. Below are some organizations you can look to for inspiration.
Inspiring Examples of Inclusive Storytelling
1. America's Stories Project (America 250)
America 250's America's Stories initiative is collecting stories from people across the country, with a focus on diverse perspectives. By amplifying voices that are often overlooked, this project works to ensure that the 250th Anniversary includes a more complete narrative of America's history.
2. Edenton Tea Party: Women's Role in Revolutionary Protest
The Edenton Tea Party, organized by 51 women in 1774, was a significant political act against British tea taxes. Their defiant protest marked one of the first organized political protests by women in American history. Edenton, NC, is honoring these trailblazing women during the 250th anniversary with events that shed light on their bold stand.
3. Schoodic Institute: Honoring Indigenous Peoples
The Schoodic Institute's Indigenous America 250 project focuses on the often-untold histories of Native American tribes during the Revolutionary War in the Northeast. This research initiative is a collaborative effort to expand the understanding of the Revolutionary War's consequences on tribal nations, using community-engagement methods.
4. Library of America: 250 Years of African American Poetry
The centerpiece of a national public humanities initiative, African American Poetry: 250 Years of Struggle and Song is an anthology that gathers 250 Black poets from the colonial period to today. The book includes "poetry about beauty and injustice, music and muses, Africa and America, freedoms and foodways, Harlem and history, funk and opera, boredom and longing, jazz and joy.”
5. Sigal Museum: Untold Stories of Everyday People
The Sigal Museum’s upcoming exhibits highlight previously untold stories from the Revolutionary era, including indigenous and enslaved people. These exhibits aim to offer a more inclusive understanding of history by focusing on the lives of everyday individuals rather than solely on prominent historical figures.
Need help identifying and telling your UNTOLD STORIES?
This FREE worksheet will walk you through the steps!
How Museums and Heritage Organizations Can Tell Their Untold Stories: Five Ideas
Here are five easy and inexpensive ways your museum or heritage organization can start incorporating untold stories into your programming:
1. Update Exhibit Labels
How: Review your existing exhibits and revise the labels to include lesser-known stories or perspectives, such as highlighting the contributions of women, Indigenous peoples, or African Americans related to the displayed artifacts.
Why: This simple change can bring new context and meaning to items already in your collection, helping visitors see a broader, more inclusive history without needing to create new exhibits.
2. Host Community Storytelling Events
How: Invite local residents, historians, or community leaders to share personal or family histories related to your organization's themes in a public storytelling event or panel discussion.
Why: This fosters community engagement, taps into local knowledge, and provides a platform for underrepresented voices to share their experiences, all at minimal cost to you.
3. Leverage Social Media for “Untold Story” Highlights
How: Use social media platforms to post weekly or monthly "untold story" features. Shoot short oral history clips on your phone for easy sharing. Also include images or short stories about lesser-known figures, artifacts, or historical moments related to your museum’s focus.
Why: Social media is free and offers broad reach, allowing you to engage a larger audience while showcasing stories that may not be represented in the physical museum space.
4. Create a “Hidden Stories” Self-Guided Tour or Companion Website
How: Develop a downloadable or printed guide that leads visitors through your existing exhibits, highlighting untold stories related to the objects on display. Include prompts or additional historical facts for self-guided exploration. A companion website/mobile app can serve a similar function.
Why: This cost-effective solution allows visitors to engage with the museum in a new way and discover stories that may have previously been overlooked, without the need for extensive physical changes to the space.
5. Partner with Local Schools for Oral History Projects
How: Collaborate with local schools or universities and have students collect oral histories from diverse community members. These can be featured as part of a temporary exhibit or digital collection.
Why: This type of partnership is low-cost and mutually beneficial, giving students practical experience while the museum gains access to rich, locally relevant stories that add depth to its narrative.
These approaches are practical, cost-effective, and can make a significant impact on how your museum tells a more inclusive, diverse story.
Celebrating a Richly Diverse History
As we approach 2026, these initiatives and many others offer a blueprint for how to tell a more inclusive and representative story of America's founding and growth. From women’s political protests and Indigenous histories to the roles played by everyday citizens, the 250th anniversary provides an opportunity to not just look back at the past, but to ensure that all Americans see themselves reflected in the story of the nation.
If you would like help to identify and tell your community’s untold stories, click here for a FREE worksheet that will take you step-by-step through the process!