A yearlong commemoration of Boston's role in the American Revolution and the legacy of activism and innovation that is woven throughout the history of the city and its people
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Boston 250
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From Revolution to Revolutionary
Boston has never been satisfied with the status quo. It's in our DNA to go boldly into the unknown, to run contrary to what's customary, to imagine a better way and then make it so. For more than 250 years, bucking tradition has been a Boston tradition.
This is a city where old sits seamlessly alongside new. Tradition doesn't get in the way of innovation, and cultural movements regularly spring from our soil. We are and will always be, a city of everyday, ordinary revolutionaries.
While Boston will always be known as the birthplace of America's Revolution, a polite and refined historical retrospective won't do justice to Boston's fiercely independent spirit.
Our Mission
To honor Boston's long lineage of uprising and innovation with an initiative that is expansive and inclusive, representing the City's past, present and future. Boston 250 is an open invitation to join us for a celebration as ambitious, exuberant, and inviting as the City itself.
Upcoming Boston 250 Events
Boston 250 Events-
250th Anniversary of Henry Knox and Roxbury's Legacy of Liberty
Mar 7
- When March 07, 2026, 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM
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Where
First Church of Roxbury
8 John Eliot Square
Boston, MA 02119
United States -
Contact
Boston 250
- Email boston250@boston.gov
- Phone
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Price
FREE
2026 Browne Fund: Historic Markers Community Grants
In honor of the nation's 250th anniversary in 2026 and the City of Boston’s 400th in 2030, the Edward Ingersoll Browne Fund is opening a special grant round for nonprofit organizations with experience in community engagement and historic documentation to research and propose historic markers in Boston.
These small grants ($7,500 per organization) will support the following scope of services:
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community engagement
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research and documentation of a minimum of ten (10) possible historic markers; and
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preparing and submitting at least one application to the Boston Historic Markers Program for consideration for a permanent marker.
Please note: All proposals will need to address the full scope of services.
Reporting Requirements
All grantees are required to submit a Final Report through the City's grantmaking platform.
Application
The application is on WizeHive, the City's grantmaking platform.
Eligibility Criteria
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Organizations only; individuals are not eligible
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Organizations are eligible for one grant only
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Organizations must:
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Be nonprofit (can use a fiscal sponsor)
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Be in good standing with both the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office and the IRS
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Have more than one person contributing to the research and proposal
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Have experience with community engagement, specifically with activities that involve dialogue with and learning from the community
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Demonstrate subject matter expertise related to their proposal
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Be Boston-based OR have a meaningful, demonstrable connection to Boston
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2026 Historic Markers Grants Important Dates
- Application Opens: Wednesday, March 4, 2026
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Application Deadline: Friday May 8, 2026
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Award Notification: Mid-June, 2026
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Grant Period (grant-funded activities must be completed by this date): November 30, 2026
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Final Report Deadline: December 31, 2026
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Questions? Email browne.fund@boston.gov
Submit Your Boston 250 Event
Submit a Boston 250 event or activity!
Boston 250 is a citywide effort to align and uplift Boston's revolutionary past and present. We are attuned to the fact that many organizations and individuals across the city already have many events and activities planned to commemorate the 250th. We want to know what you and your organizations are planning! Submit your organizations Boston 250 event in the form below!
Spotlight
Boston 250 Launch
Read more about the event that launched Boston 250.
Revolution! 250 Years of Art & Activism in Boston
The first major Boston Public Library exhibit in a decade.
Dedication of Twelfth Baptist Church Square
Mayor Michelle Wu Celebrates Dedication of Twelfth Baptist Church Square and Unveils Historic Marker to Honor Renowned Roxbury Church
In the Press
NewsRoxbury to Commemorate 250th of Henry Knox's Noble Train of Artillery
AFTER 250 YEARS, PAUL REVERE RIDES AGAIN (BOSTON GLOBE)
250TH AMERICAN REVOLUTION CELEBRATION KICKS OFF MARATHON MONDAY (BOSTON.COM)
OUR WALK WITH PAUL REVERE IN BOSTON (NEW YORK TIMES)
THOUSANDS MARCH THROUGH BOSTON FOR 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF MLK FREEDOM RALLY (WGBH)
Chelsea Creek 250: The Revolutionary Battleground Hidden in Plain Sight (Boston…
About Boston 250
Boston 250 is an initiative of the City of Boston and a variety of partners and sponsors who have joined together to commemorate the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution in Boston. The commemoration, made up of events, legacy projects, and brand initiatives, showcases Boston’s true, inclusive, revolutionary spirit, with an eye towards the future.
Boston 250 is about more than history - it is be a celebration of Boston’s revolutionary, path-breaking past and present. Yes, the revolution got its start here, but so did Martin Luther King, Jr,. and Malcolm X, life saving treatments and vaccines, the first public school, public park, and public library. That is the story of Boston we want to tell.
"From the shot heard round the world, to the Boston Marathon starting gun, to corner threes from our NBA Champions, the Boston Celtics—our city is still the center of the action: The place where making history is a matter of course.” - Mayor Michelle Wu
Partners
PartnersAmerica250
Boston Commemoration Commission
Boston Harbor Now
Bunker Hill 250
Embrace Boston
everyone250
The Freedom Trail Foundation
MA250
National Parks of Boston
Old North Illuminated
Paul Revere House
Revolution250
Revolutionary Spaces
USS Constitution Museum
WBUR Neighborhood Guide
Boston Public Library
