That the City Manager is requested to initiate the planning process for Cambridge 400 and as part of this, to convene a Cambridge 400 Advisory Committee composed of members representing the range of stakeholders whose participation is needed to guide this work.

POR 2026-66 FIRST IN COUNCIL March 30, 2026 City of Cambridge COUNCILLOR SIMMONS MAYOR SIDDIQUI COUNCILLOR ZUSY WHEREAS: The year 2030 marks the Cambridge 400 anniversary – originally settled as Newtowne in 1630 – and this milestone presents an important opportunity for the community to reflect on our shared history, examine how Cambridge has evolved, and envision a future informed by lessons from the past; and WHEREAS: Cambridge seeks to commemorate this anniversary through welcoming and accessible programs that encourage residents to think about our history, celebrate our diversity, and incorporate curiosity, pride, and inclusivity into our daily civic life; and WHEREAS: This effort acknowledges that Indigenous peoples have lived in the place now called Cambridge for thousands of years, and recognizes that Indigenous voices, histories, and perspectives are essential to providing accurate, contextual, and meaningful narratives for the Cambridge 400 commemoration; and WHEREAS: Many histories have been left out of traditional historical narratives, and Cambridge 400 presents a vital opportunity to uplift stories across all neighborhoods and communities – ensuring that the commemoration reflects the full breadth of Cambridge’s lived experience; and WHEREAS: Cambridge’s robust arts and culture ecosystem – including artists, cultural organizations, creative workers, and community arts spaces – plays a central role in shaping the city’s identity, and the Cambridge 400 commemoration presents opportunities to elevate local creativity, highlight cultural expression, and strengthen the cultural sector’s long term vitality; and WHEREAS: Engaging Cambridge Schools and our young people is essential to the success of a Cambridge 400 celebration, as educational partnerships and youth participation will help ensure that the commemoration is forward-looking, reflective of the city’s future, and grounded in intergenerational learning; and WHEREAS: Major civic anniversaries in other municipalities have demonstrated significant tourism and economic development benefits, including increased visitation, strengthened support for local businesses, and expanded cultural tourism that highlights a city’s unique assets; and WHEREAS: A thoughtfully planned Cambridge 400 initiative can showcase the city’s cultural institutions, artists, restaurants, small businesses, and commercial districts, providing broad economic benefits while ensuring that participation remains inclusive and

equitable; and WHEREAS: Cambridge’s history and influence extend far beyond our municipal boundaries, and Cambridge 400 presents an opportunity to think both locally and globally – recognizing the ways Cambridge has shaped, and been shaped by, regional, national, and international movements that led to innovations in education, science, arts, civil rights, and public policy; and WHEREAS: Successful planning for Cambridge 400 will require coordinated engagement among City departments, community partners, cultural and educational institutions, local businesses, and a diverse cross section of residents; now therefore be it ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to initiate the planning process for Cambridge 400 and as part of this, to convene a Cambridge 400 Advisory Committee composed of members representing the range of stakeholders whose participation is needed to guide this work; and be it further ORDERED: That the Advisory Committee be charged with advising on recommendations for programs, events, educational initiatives, public history activities, and economic and cultural opportunities that reflect Cambridge’s full historical narrative and support an inclusive, critically engaged, and forward-looking commemoration. In City Council March 30, 2026. Adopted as Amended by Affirmative Vote of Nine Members:- Attest:- Paula M. Crane, Interim City Clerk A true copy; ATTEST:- Paula M. Crane Interim City Clerk