July 4, 1976…America’s 200th Birthday On ABC

On July 4, 2014 - TV History


July 4, 1976…America’s 200th Birthday On ABC

Here is the start of a three hour broadcast hosted by Harry Reasoner that took viewers from one end of the country to the other, just to see how we were celebrating he Bicentennial.

Although Harry opens with a “good moring”, I think this was an afternoon show that started at 1 Eastern. There are reporters everywhere, including a young Ted Koppel in Washington.

From July 4, 1976, here is some coverage of some Bicentennial events from ABC News and Harry Reasoner, beginning at 1 PM EST. This came in to me from a trade…

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4 Comments

  1. Dennis Degan July 4, 2014

    I think NBC did something similar. I was at WIS-TV in Columbia, SC at the time; the NBC affiliate.

  2. Peter Quentin George July 4, 2014

    I remember these specials on ABC on 7/4/1976. 38 years ago! *WOW!* I remember throughout the day, ABC identified itself with its’ full legal name “The American Broadcasting Company”. I thought that was cool! 🙂

  3. Jeoff C. Bristow July 4, 2014

    Thanks EOAG. I remember this day so much. I rode my bicycle a lll decorated in Red,White and Blue in the part of the parade. Different section of or city had part of the parade started from their section of the city to meet up downtown for the main parade. We were lead by a motorcycle cop. Here i was the only person on a bicycle in a line of custom cars. I will never ever for get that day or that year.

  4. Gary Walters July 4, 2014

    So surprised that NBC never shown their Bicentennial coverage on YouTube, but then it probably would had been a b&w kinescope.