When did CBS begin broadcasting its Bicentennial Minutes television segments?

CBS began broadcasting its Bicentennial Minutes on July 4, 1974.

The one-minute segments commemorated the American Revolution by describing an event or person from approximately 200 years earlier. They aired nightly during prime time and usually ended with the narrator identifying themselves and saying, “That’s the way it was.”

The series was produced by CBS and sponsored first by Shell Oil Company, then by Raid from July 1976. Different narrators appeared throughout the run, including television performers, public figures, and political leaders.

Although the segments were initially expected to end on July 4, 1976, CBS extended them through the end of the Bicentennial year. The final installment aired on December 31, 1976, completing a total of 912 broadcasts.