The Story of US: 250 Years as Told by Missouri
2026 Signature Series
Throughout 250 years of United States history, the people and places of Missouri have played a vital role in shaping the nation’s story. At the crossroads of rivers, frontiers, and ideas, Missouri has been a stage for exploration, innovation, conflict, and change. From Indigenous peoples to French settlers and westward pioneers, Missouri’s story began before statehood and remains ingrained in the nation’s history.
As we commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, The Story of US invites Missourians to reflect on how Missouri’s people and communities have shaped defining chapters of our shared American journey. In this year-long series, we honor the enduring power of place and the voices, both celebrated and too often unheard, that reveal Missouri’s contributions to the complexity and promise of the American experience. Through engaging in-person events and digital programming, The Story of US explores the ideals, challenges, and meaning of civic engagement in Missouri and nationwide. Together, we will reflect on our shared past, engage with the present, and imagine the future of the American Experiment.
Through engaging in-person events and digital programming, The Story of US explores the ideals, challenges, and meaning of civic engagement in Missouri and nationwide. Together, we will reflect on our shared past, engage with the present, and imagine the future of the American Experiment.
You're Invited!
On February 3, 2026, join Missouri Humanities in the Missouri State Capitol Rotunda for “By the People,” the 2026 Lieutenant Governor’s Missouri Humanities Celebration. The event will feature remarks from Lieutenant Governor David Wasinger and a short film showcasing MH folk art grantees and partners, including musicians, poets, and Native American dancers. Displays around the rotunda will highlight Semiquincentennial grant projects exploring Missouri’s cultural and historical impact. Missouri Humanities will also launch “The Story of US: 250 Years as Told by Missouri,” a digital storytelling campaign celebrating Missouri’s role in the American story. We hope to see you there!
Planning to attend the celebration? Let us know you’re coming by registering here!
By the People: Conversations Beyond 250 is a series of community-driven programs created by humanities councils across the United States, its territories, and the District of Columbia in collaboration with local partners. Together, these programs explore 250 years of the nation’s cultural life and imagine its shared future. The initiative was developed by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage as a complement to the 2026 Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
MH is Proud to Support the Following Semiquincentennial Grant-Funded Projects
- History Museum on the Square; Celebrating Springfield MO History Semiquincentennial Exhibit
- Harrisonville Chamber of Commerce Foundation; Burnt District Monument Silhouette Art Project
- Presser Arts Center; Young Twain Film Project
- St. Joseph Museum; St. Joseph, MO: An American (HIS)story, (HER)story, and (OUR)story
- Pony Express Museum; Continuing the Pony Express Story – 165 years
- Missouri State University – Ozarks Public Broadcasting; KSMU’s Notable MO-ments
- County of Washington; A Living History of Washington County, Missouri
- Wornall/Majors House Museum; Gateway to the Nation: Missouri’s Role in America’s 250 Years
- Laura Ingalls Wilder Home & Museum; Introducing Rocky Ridge Farm Film Project
- Magnificent Missouri; The Katy Trail — Where History is the Future
- National WWI Museum and Memorial; The Story of the Museum and Memorial
- Route 66 Association of Missouri, Inc.; Route 66 Centennial Interpretive Traveling Exhibit
- Grand River Historical Society & Museum; Our History: Exhibits from the Archives
- Fat Daddys Farm Foundation; Beyond The Haunting
- Clio: The Digital Museum of America; Missouri Statewide Trails
- French Colonial America; Battle of St. Louis Commemoration Event, Improvement, and Expansion
- Vidwest; Hidden in Plain Sight: Important Sites in Missouri Women’s History
- Steelville Area Historical Society; The Trail Remembered: Steelville’s Journey to Honor the Past
- TechArtista Foundation; Cicadian Rhythms: A Short Documentary Film
- Kansas City Museum Foundation; Wazhazhe: Osage Cultural Heritage & History in Missouri
- UMKC Foundation – KCUR 89.3; An immersive experience with A People’s History of Kansas City
- Missouri’s National Veterans Memorial; Laying Down the Burden
- America’s Tractor Museum; Missouri Century Tractor Website
- Harry S. Truman Library Institute for National and International Affairs; America 250 and the Legacy of Harry S. Truman
- Ozark Vitality; From Roots to Restoration: Small Towns, Big Histories
- The Mary Ann and Bert J. Kellerman Foundation; From Colonies to Cape Girardeau: 250 years of Independence
- Bates County Historical Society and Museum; Celebrate America
- Springfield Regional Opera dba Ozarks Lyric Opera; DREAM BIG: The True Tall Tale of a Missouri Giantess
- Blackwater Preservation Society; Tracks of Transformation: Railroads, Connections, and the Making of Missouri
- West Plains Council on the Arts Inc.; The Bond Dance Hall Explosion: Through the Lens of 250 Years of History
- Stone County Historical/Genealogical society; Gatekeepers of the Ozark Plateau Centuries Before the Louisiana Purchase
- Ready Readers; Expanding Access to New Books for Children—Celebrating the Indigenous People of Missouri
- Reel Images Film & Video Group; Jazz Talk
- University of MO – Cambio Center; Migration and Missouri
- Opportunity 1888 Foundation, Inc.; James Shipley, World War II Tuskegee Airman from Tipton, Missouri
- Cape Girardeau County Historical Society; Exploring the Juncture of Diverging Cultures
- Newton County Tourism Council; Camp Crowder Traveling Interpretive Exhibits
- Trail of Tears Association; Exploring Missouri’s Trail of Tears: Then and Now
- Union Station Kansas City, Inc.; A History of the Kansas City Streetcar
Want to help tell The Story of US?
The Story of US
Missouri Humanities invites individuals and organizations across the state to participate in “The Story of US: 250 Years as Told by Missouri”—a digital storytelling campaign commemorating Missouri’s impact on the American story.
Launching on January 1 and running through July 4, 2026, this community-driven social media campaign will highlight the people, places, stories, and notable historical events—past and present—that define Missouri’s contributions to U.S. history in the context of 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
We’re looking for submissions grounded in lived experience, local insight, or historical significance—whether you’re a historian, educator, librarian, student, artist, or storyteller with a story to share. Selected entries will collaborate with Missouri Humanities to shape content for social media using Story of Us branding templates.
We want to hear from you! Click the button below to submit your idea and help shape The Story of US.
*By submitting your content, you acknowledge that Missouri Humanities may share it with the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Smithsonian Institution for use in their digital platforms, publications, and archival materials.
By the People: Conversations Beyond 250 is a series of community-driven programs created by humanities councils in collaboration with local partners. The initiative was developed by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.
