Karen Steele was the first baby born on July 4, 1976, later called the “Bicentennial Baby.”
Steele was born 12 seconds after midnight, making her birth a memorable coincidence with the United States' 200th Independence Day. Contemporary attention turned her into a symbolic representative of the Bicentennial generation rather than merely a private birth announcement.
She appeared on the television programs The Today Show and Good Morning America. President Gerald Ford, New Jersey Governor Brendan Byrne, and other public figures also sent commemorations or recognized the event.
The title refers to the first baby reported as born on that date in the relevant celebration context, not to the first child born anywhere in the world during 1976. It is also separate from “first baby of the year” traditions, which use January 1 and have no connection to the Bicentennial.