250 stories. 250 years. One nation, still becoming.
To mark America's 250th anniversary, Story of US is collecting 250 personal stories from individuals across the country. Each one reflects a family's journey, an identity, and what belonging in America has meant. Together they form a living portrait of the nation at its milestone moment.
No nation begins as a certainty.
It begins as a bet.
Two hundred fifty years ago, a small group of people bet that ordinary citizens could govern themselves better than any king. It was not a safe bet. It is still not finished. But the bet held, and word of it traveled: that where you start does not have to determine where you end. That belonging could be built, not just inherited.
36 of 250 collected so far, from 5 states. The portrait is just beginning.
Every dot is a person.
Stories land on the map where their tellers live, city by city, state by state. Follow a dot far enough and it becomes a family, a kitchen, a language, a life.
Not one story told 250 times.
250 different stories that happen to share an address. A few of them, first.
“Traditional opera isn't simply a profession I chose; it's something in my blood.”
Yang Ling
“No label the world assigned me was ever the whole truth of who I was.”
Han Xiu
“Responsible gun ownership begins with understanding the law, respecting the risk, and practicing safety.”
Sandy Chen
“Past achievement doesn't lock you into a future you no longer want.”
Wu Yanni
“I learned that fluency in one language never required abandoning another; only a willingness to keep translating.”
Benji
Your story belongs here.
The form takes 10 to 15 minutes. There are no wrong answers, and our team follows up before anything goes live.