Celebrating America 250 & Mississippi’s Related Stories Readers

To support the America 250-Mississippi Commission in their work to promote the historic and important 250-year milestone, the Mississippi Library Commission has designed a plan that honors the accomplishment through a patriotic literacy campaign. We are calling it “COME READ WITH US: Great Readers can become Great Leaders.” Of course, this is an endorsement of the Mississippi Department of Education’s “Strong Readers Strong Leaders” Program and the strides they are making towards improved literacy.

For more information, visit Help Mississippi Celebrate 250 Years of American History – America 250 – Mississippi

America’s Field Trip is a contest that invites students across the country in grades 3–12 to be part of America’s 250th anniversary by sharing their perspectives on what America means to them — with the opportunity to earn an unforgettable field trip experience at some of the nation’s most iconic historic and cultural landmarks.

Students are asked to submit writing or original artwork in response to the contest’s prompt: “What does America mean to you?”

For more information, visit America’s Field Trip – America250
(America’s Field Trip contest for the 2025-2026 school year Coming Soon!)

Grants Offered

Legacy Grants – Up to $20,000 to support larger projects that enhance a community’s capacity to explore and promote local history, leaving a lasting legacy for future generations. Deadlines: Dec. 1, 2025 and Feb. 1, 2026.

Program Grants – up to $10,000 to support local celebrations of the semiquincentennial and public programs that explore the themes of Mississippi250. Deadlines: Sept. 15, 2025; Nov. 15, 2025; Jan. 15, 2026; March 15, 2026.

Minigrants – Up to $5,000 to provide accessible, flexible funding for small-scale, grassroots projects and local activities commemorating America250. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis beginning Sept. 15, 2025.