Skip to content

About FXBG250

Purpose

In 2026, the United States of America will mark the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution and US Independence. Events and programs are taking place across the Commonwealth of Virginia and around the country to commemorate this anniversary, starting in 2024 and continuing into at least 2027.

The Fredericksburg 250th Planning Committee (FXBG250) is comprised of local history professionals and Fredericksburg City tourism representatives. FXBG250 will use this Strategic Planning Framework to guide their efforts as they plan and execute activities in conjunction with the America250 and Virginia250 programs and it will serve as the foundation for work that will extend beyond 2026.

Vision

Fredericksburg is a place where people with diverse experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds come together to learn about and respectfully reflect on the complex history of the community and country.

Core Values

FXBG250 operates from the following Core Values.

Woman holding a sign that says "My stomach may be empty but what about your heart"

Constructive Conversation

Acknowledge our common humanity and empathize with others’ perspectives while engaging in respectful, and sometimes difficult, discussions about our country’s history.

diverse business people, including a woman on a wheelchair, looking at a laptop

Inclusion

Prioritize equitable access, opportunities, and representation for the largest possible number of demographic groups, voices, perspectives, and abilities.

A sign welcomes visitors to the historic Fredericksburg, Virginia

Connection

Uncover, highlight, and strengthen the relationships that exist between people (both past and present) and places in the community.

a police officer grasps hands with a local citizen as others look on

Collaboration

Incorporate the strengths and experiences of local organizations and community members in planning events, creating content, and engaging audiences.

CORE THEMES

FXBG250 will incorporate the following themes, inspired by the America250 themes, into events, programs, and content to provide connection and continuity with the activities being planned across other localities, the state, and the country. Each year will have a different thematic focus.

2025: Power of Place

  • Show how the natural and built environments of Fredericksburg have shaped or influenced history over the past 250 years. How might they shape the future?
  • What does Fredericksburg (the place) represent?

2026: Unfinished Revolution

  • Reflect on the state of the ongoing debate of the Founding Fathers’ ideals – liberty, equality, and justice – and acknowledge that a diverse American culture results in different groups having varying views on what those ideals mean as a result of different historical and social contexts.
  • Recognize that America remains a “work in progress,” with opportunities for further growth and evolution and that we continue to adapted based on changing societal values, ongoing conversations and inherent tension about how best to define and achieve these ideals.

2027: We The People

  • Examine who we are now and how that may be different than who we were 250 years ago.
  • Tell the complex stories of different groups throughout Fredericksburg’s history who fought for the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness through community and individual resistance to America’s inherent inequalities.
  • Use storytelling centered on diverse voices to showcase the best of American opportunity and as a call to action to right systemic past wrongs to build a better future.

GOALS & OBJECTIVES

Guided by the Core Values and encompassing the Core Themes, FXBG250 will seek to accomplish the following Goals and Objectives by the end of 2026.

sign noting the site of a Revolutionary War hospital

Goal # 1

Use the America 250th to continue to build interest in local history among local and regional audiences of all ages and show how our past connects to our present and future.

Objectives:

  • Create a Fredericksburg History brand that can be leveraged in storytelling and marketing for the 250th and beyond.
  • Build a collaborative, multi-channel marketing effort capable of reaching new, larger, and more diverse audiences to promote events and activities related to the America 250th in Fredericksburg.
  • Plan and execute activities that increase visitation to and engagement with local history and historic preservation sites, including education around how people can get involved in promoting history.
  • Promote the values of inclusion, representation, and shared history by ensuring programs are accessible and designed to engage a diverse cross-section of Fredericksburg’s population.

Goal #2

Make a lasting contribution to the history and historic preservation community of Fredericksburg.

Objectives:

  • Unveil new research, content, or assets that emphasize the importance of Fredericksburg and its people in the American Revolution, the formation of our country, and the shaping of its future.
  • Update existing scholarship, materials, and assets by using new technologies and modalities to make content accessible to new and larger audiences.
  • Leverage the visibility of America250 to promote new and existing programming while framing content in a way that will still be relevant beyond 2026.
  • Create and strengthen partnerships between the history/historic preservation community, city government, local tourism attractions, local non-profits, local businesses, and other community groups that will be sustained and leveraged beyond 2026.
  • Solicit the voices, experiences, and perspectives of a diverse cross-section of the community and incorporate their input into how historical work, interpretation, and storytelling activities are carried out in the future.
Thomas Jefferson statue in the center of the Jefferson Memorial
diverse group of citizens listening to a speaker at a community meeting

Goal #3

Cultivate a Civically Engaged Community through Programmatic Partnerships

Objectives:

  • Develop collaborative programming with local schools, civic organizations, local artists and musicians, and community groups to explore the democratic ideals and civic responsibilities rooted in Fredericksburg’s revolutionary history.
  • Facilitate forums, workshops, and public discussions that demonstrate how the past is connected to contemporary civic challenges, fostering a shared sense of purpose and responsibility.
  • Partner with organizations to create hands-on, service-oriented opportunities tied to themes of civic engagement, historic preservation, and community building, inspiring active participation in the life of the city.

FXBG250 Committee Members

The FXBG250 Planning Committee is comprised of staff from the following organizations.

Fredericksburg Area Museum
FXBG City of Fredericksburg, VA
Washington Heritage Museums logo
The George Washington Foundation
Brown arrowhead logo, point down. At top right, white text, National Park Service. At left, a tall tree. At bottom, a white bison stands on a green field ending in a distant tree line, a white lake at right. A snow-capped mountain towers behind.
Patawomeck Indians of Virginia logo
Gari Melchers Home & Studio logo
James Monroe Museum logo