CLEVELAND, Ohio – From Thomas Edison to Neil Armstrong, Toni Morrison to the Wright brothers, Ohio and Ohioans have played an outsized role in American history.

The state plans to honor all of it between now and July 4, 2026, when the country celebrates its 250th birthday.

Todd Kleismit, executive director of the Ohio Commission for the U.S. Semiquincentennial (say that 10 times fast), has been working since early 2022 to put together a series of special programs and events, attractions and activities to help Ohioans and others celebrate the unique contributions the state has made to the nation.

Among the signature events planned:

* Ohio Goes to the Movies, a statewide celebration of films showcasing Ohio actors, directors, writers, composers, locations and topics, shown in cities and towns across the state. The commission is hoping the state’s historic theaters, drive-ins, commercial and art house cinemas, as well as other settings, will take part in what it’s calling “100 days of Ohio movie magic,” running mid-February through May 2026.

* Themed months of activities for all 12 months of 2026, including Ohio Originals in January (think Thomas Edison, Neil Armstrong, the Wright brothers and others); transportation in April; the outdoors in June; county and state fairs in August; veterans and first responders in November; and future Ohio in December.

* Special themed trails that Ohioans and visitors can experience to learn more about the history of the state and the nation. The first trail was launched in May, the Ohio Air and Space Trail, with several more in the works, including trails themed to creative Ohio, undertold stories, beautiful Ohio and others.

Kelly Falcone-Hall, the president and CEO of the Western Reserve Historical Society, said she was 7 when the country celebrated its bicentennial in 1976. She remembers traveling to Williamsburg, Virginia; Washington, D.C. and Hale Farm and Village in Summit County with her parents and younger brother to celebrate.

“Obviously, that left an impression on me,” said Falcone-Hall, a member of the American 250-Ohio Commission that is helping plan the state’s commemoration. “There’s nothing like celebrating a national anniversary to infuse interest and awareness.”

She hopes Ohio families take a similar interest in 2026.

“We hope people will get on the road and follow these trails,” she said. “If you don’t know where you’ve been, how do you know where you’re going?”

Kleismit noted that Ohioans don’t need to wait another two years to start exploring.

The Ohio Air and Space Trail launched in May with 30 destinations across the state, including the Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta, the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton and the International Women’s Air and Space Museum in Cleveland, among many others.

In addition, the commission last year launched the fourth-grade history pass, which offers free admission to Ohio fourth-graders, accompanied by a paid adult, to more than 40 attractions, including the Cleveland History Center, Cincinnati Museum Center, Ohio History Center, Hale Farm and Village and others.

“We’re not waiting around for 2026,” said Kleismit. “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for us to showcase what Ohioans have meant to the United States.”

He added, “This is an opportunity to bring people together. I think we need this at this time.”

Kleismit said the commission wants to involve as many Ohioans in the celebration as possible.

“It’s really important for us to have all 88 Ohio counties engaged -- not in a one-size-fits-all way, but in a way that makes sense for them,” he said. “We want to make this as inclusive and user-friendly as possible.”

The commission, primarily funded by state tax dollars, has distributed 84 grants to local organizations in 42 counties to help them create programs and exhibits related to the anniversary. A public-private partnership housed under the umbrella of the Ohio History Connection, the commission received $2 million from the state for 2024.

Among the organizations that have received funds:

* Ingenuity Cleveland, which received $5,000 to create a mural in East Cleveland celebrating the community’s rich jazz history.

* The Medina County Historical Society, which received $4,000 to solicit and publish essays about Revolutionary War veterans and their families who settled in Medina County.

* Oberlin Heritage Center, which received $4,000 to create a series of five mini-documentaries about how local individuals organized to create institutions or movements that led to national change.

Unlike the bicentennial celebration in 1976, which emphasized America’s Revolutionary War-era history, the 250th celebration seeks a broader scope, said Falcone-Hall.

There will be an emphasis on undertold Ohio stories, including early Native American history that predates the founding of the state in 1803.

For example, eight locations in southern Ohio, known as the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, were recently named Ohio’s first United Nations World Heritage site, for extraordinary cultural activity on the land 2,000 years ago.

Falcone-Hall said the anniversary also will likely encourage organizations, including her own, to “get some important work done.”

The Cleveland History Center, for example, is planning several programs and exhibits that will help celebrate the semisesquicentennial.

This fall, the museum will open a new permanent gallery on Cleveland’s African-American history and culture.

In addition, she said, the museum will debut a traveling exhibit, “Solidarity Now! 1968 Poor People’s Campaign,” developed by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. A companion exhibit will focus on Black photography in Cleveland from 1968 to the present.

Falcone-Hall said that while activities and events will focus on history, they will also look forward.

“Yes, we are celebrating the past,” she said. “But we want the celebration and the legacy to be about the future as well.”