USA Fencing and America250 Announce Partnership to Honor America’s 250th Anniversary

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Long before fencing became one of the original sports of the modern Olympic Games in 1896, swords helped shape the story of the United States. 

Gen. George Washington carried his battle sword throughout the Revolutionary War, a weapon now preserved at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Continental Army officers bore swords as symbols of command and honor, and the Continental Congress awarded elegant presentation swords to soldiers who displayed exceptional bravery. 

In colonial America, skill with a blade was considered essential to a gentleman’s education, and fencing schools operated in cities from New York to Philadelphia to Boston.

That heritage endures today in the modern sport of fencing. Now, USA Fencing and America250, the national, nonpartisan organization charged by Congress to lead the commemoration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, have announced a partnership to celebrate the deep connections between America’s founding history and its fencing tradition as the nation marks its Semiquincentennial.

USA Fencing is the national governing body for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of fencing in the United States. Founded in 1891 as the Amateur Fencers League of America, it is one of the nation’s oldest sports governing bodies and today serves a record 45,000-plus members across more than 750 clubs. 

Fencing has been contested at every Summer Olympic Games since the first modern Games in Athens in 1896, and American fencers have been part of that legacy from the beginning. In recent years, athletes such as Mariel Zagunis OLY, Lee Kiefer OLY and Lauren Scruggs OLY have brought home Olympic gold and silver medals, elevating the sport’s profile on the world stage.

The connection between fencing and American history runs through the centuries. In 1734, William Blackwell published the first American book on swordsmanship in colonial Jamestown. During the Revolution, the Marquis de Lafayette purchased swords in France and personally armed his soldiers before the decisive Siege of Yorktown in 1781. 

Washington himself, in his last will and testament, bequeathed his swords to his five nephews with an instruction to never unsheathe them except in self-defense or in defense of their country. 

Gen. George S. Patton competed in fencing as part of the first-ever Olympic modern pentathlon in 1912, later designed the U.S. Army’s last cavalry saber and authored its final official swordsmanship manual. 

And at West Point, the head of the Department of Physical Education has held the title “Master of the Sword” since 1814.

“America’s 250th anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on the traditions and values that have shaped our nation since its founding,” said Jen Condon, Executive Vice President at America250. “USA Fencing’s connection to the nation’s early history and its vibrant community of athletes today offers a meaningful way to celebrate that legacy and engage Americans in the Semiquincentennial.”

“Fencing is woven into the fabric of our nation’s story,” says Phil Andrews, CEO of USA Fencing. “From George Washington’s battle sword to our athletes who wear USA on their backs at competitions around the world, this sport connects us to the ideals of discipline, honor and resilience that have defined America for 250 years. We are proud to partner with America250 to share that story with the nation and inspire the next generation of fencing athletes and fans.”

Through the partnership, USA Fencing and America250 will collaborate on a series of activations designed to engage Americans across the country. Plans include live fencing experiences and demonstrations at America250 events, athlete appearances by U.S. Olympians and Paralympians at celebrations nationwide, collaborative storytelling through the Our American Story program highlighting the diverse backgrounds of the fencing community, volunteer engagement through the America Gives initiative, and patriotic celebrations at USA Fencing’s national events leading up to and including the Fourth of July.

USA Fencing’s 2026 Summer Nationals and July Challenge, held June 28 through July 6 in Portland, Ore., will feature America250 activations during the event.

This partnership builds on America250’s collaborations with organizations across the sports landscape, including partnerships with the NFL, NBA, MLB and PGA Tour USA Fencing joins this roster as a programming partner committed to educating Americans about fencing’s role in the nation’s history while showcasing the sport’s dynamic future on the road to the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.

For more information about USA Fencing and its programs, visit usafencing.org. To learn more about America250 and its national commemorative efforts, visit America250.org.