About Lehigh Valley 250
Community Together, Then and Now.
America’s 250th Anniversary in 2026 will be commemorated in the Lehigh Valley through a series of insightful and thought-provoking exhibitions, walking tours, digital offerings, and performances through a collaborative effort among regional historical, cultural, and educational institutions.
Organizing Committee
Megan van Ravenswaay
Megan van Ravenswaay
Megan van Ravenswaay
Executive Director
Northampton County Historical and Genealogical Society
Maurice S. Luker III
Megan van Ravenswaay
Megan van Ravenswaay
Executive Director of Corporate, Foundation, and Government Relations
Lafayette College
Lindsey Jancay
Megan van Ravenswaay
Lindsey Jancay
Director of Collections and Engagement
Historic Bethlehem Museum and Sites
Claire Sadler
Ricardo J. Reyes, PhD
Lindsey Jancay
Executive Director
Delaware & Lehigh National
Heritage Corridor
Ricardo J. Reyes, PhD
Ricardo J. Reyes, PhD
Ricardo J. Reyes, PhD
Director of Galleries & Curator of Collections
Williams Center Gallery
Lafayette College
Jessica Edris
Ricardo J. Reyes, PhD
Ricardo J. Reyes, PhD
Project Administrator
Good Collective
Lehigh Valley 250 Interns
Emily Jerzewski
Emily Jerzewski
Emily Jerzewski
“I hope to see the people of America make the most of the country and learn from our past mistakes. I want us to do everything to the best of our ability and grow together as a nation.”
Miles Dorai-Raj
Emily Jerzewski
Emily Jerzewski
“Getting to do research into the small yet integral role that the Lehigh Valley played in the American Revolution and the founding of the United States, as well as getting to help share the often forgotten stories of women and people of color that lived in this area during that time.”
Emma Hartman
Emily Jerzewski
Emma Hartman
"My favorite part of the Lehigh Valley is that it is always great to see so many members of the community coming together to make events like this happen and to celebrate together."
Chris Byrnes
Emily Jerzewski
Emma Hartman
"I am excited to connect Lafayette the person and the college's role in the 250th, especially as a means to connect with and give back to the city of Easton and the greater Lehigh Valley."
Norah Sheehan
Norah Sheehan
Norah Sheehan
"I have always loved learning about industrial and labor history, the Lehigh Valley certainly being a huge component to that. Our country is built on labor, so amplifying the history of the working class is hugely important to understanding the development of the US."
Abby Stinson
Norah Sheehan
Norah Sheehan
"I hope in the next 250 years of our Nation that we see a diverse community of people getting along and working together in a positive way. More will be accomplished and our nation will grow stronger."
Willem Birgel
Norah Sheehan
Willem Birgel
"Our nation's history is both a complex and a complicated topic, and with this anniversary coming up it is important to reflect on its many facets, especially those usually glossed over or ignored in the general narrative."
Lauren Dicker
Norah Sheehan
Willem Birgel
" I believe this is a great opportunity to really enrich ourselves and others with the history of America and learn from the past in order to live a better future."
Peter Godziela
Peter Godziela
Peter Godziela
"Although the amount of history created from the human experience in the last 250 years of the US is too vast to record all of it, we can work to better understand and appreciate everyone that are similar and different from us in many ways by attempting to share and learn as much as we can about the history we do know and can learn more about."
Lindsey Person
Peter Godziela
Peter Godziela
"250 years is not a lot of time. The start of The United States is not that long ago compared to many other nations. Celebrating 250 years is a great way to show all that we have accomplished so far and inspire hope to what we accomplish in the future."