NYS 250th Commemoration Commission

The powers, functions, and duties of the New York State 250th Commemoration Commission include: 

• Develop plans to promote and coordinate activities to commemorate the two hundred fiftieth anniversary of the American Revolution
• Include heritage organizations as the focal points for the commemoration; 
• Coordinate forums across the state to seek ideas from the public on the commemoration including how New Yorkers, American and those from other countries may celebrate the anniversary; 
• Coordinate activities with civic, educational and heritage organizations to develop public interest and involvement in the planning and development of the commemoration; 
• Promote and encourage educational outreach programs using media and technology including electronic communications to achieve national and international impact
• Coordinate the planning of commemorative events for all interest communities throughout the state; 
• Invite other interested states and nations to participate in programs and events for the commemoration; 
• Coordinate and promote the holdings of meetings, conference, seminars and conventions in interested communities using such anniversary as an attraction and theme; 
• Coordinate and promote the holding of community engagement and educational events in interested communities using such anniversary as an attraction and theme; 
• Seek funding from private individuals, foundations and corporations to support capital improvements, preservation and conservation needs associated with events and sites commemorating such anniversary; 
• Coordinate and cooperate with state entities and tourist promotion agencies; 
• Coordinate and cooperate with local, state and federal entities including those relating to heritage are promotion and any federal commission created to participate in planning and development of the anniversary; 
• Set goals and benchmarks for the work of the commission. 

MEMBERS AND PROCEEDINGS

The New York State 250th Commemoration Commission meets quarterly at designated locations posted in advance of the meeting at publicly accessible venues.

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

The Board consists of 21 members as listed below. Members consist of the Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the Commissioner of Education, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Empire State Development, The Commissioner of the Office of General Services, the Secretary of State, the Chair of the Council for the Arts, and the Director of the Canal Corporation (or their designees) as well as four members appointed by the governor, three appointed by the temporary president of the Senate, three appointed by the Speaker of the Assemble, one appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, and one appointed by the Minority Leader of the Assembly, and the New York State Historian. The majority of the members that make up the commission shall have a professional background in the fields of local government historian, academic historian, museum professional, social studies teacher or professor, tourism professional, archeologist, anthropologist, or other field of New York State history or historic preservation, or volunteer fundraising experience.  

The members serve without compensation but are allowed the necessary and actual expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. Estimated expenses below are based on travel expenses between the member's home and the meeting venue, which rotates between publicly accessible meeting places throughout the state.

The New York State America 250 logo is trademarked. It can be used for official commission business. The logo for New York State’s America 250 Commemoration can be used: 

1)    By the New York State 250th Commission for any official communication or activities; 

2)    By any New York State agency in connection with any 250th commemoration activity or event; 

3)    By any school, college, university or other not for profit educational organization in New York State for educational purposes with students; and   

4)    In connection with any event accepted for inclusion on New York State’s America 250 commemoration calendar on iloveny.com, nysed.gov or nysm.nysed.gov by either an official county historian, an officially designated New York Tourism Promotion Agency or the organization hosting the event. The logo may be used only for promotional activities in connection with the event itself and not to promote other events not on the commemoration calendar nor to promote an organization or attraction more generally. 

The logo may not be used on items for sale, other than on items authorized by the New York State 250th Commission. Any other use by any entity outside of New York State government must be authorized in writing in advance by the New York State Education Department, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation or the New York State Division of Tourism at Empire State Development. Requests and questions may be directed to NYS250@nysed.gov.