There’s nothing more American than our Thanksgiving holiday, traditionally celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November.
Its history was sparked by a single event more than 400 years ago and is a blend of tradition and a 19th century desire of Americans for national unity.
As we prepare to celebrate, we should cast our minds to how it started in 1621 when a three-day harvest feast was shared by the English colonists of Plymouth and the Wampanoag people.
The English, known as Pilgrims, arrived a year before and immediately suffered a brutal winter. A year later, they created a harvest with the help of the Wampanoag, who were experts in farming and fishing.
However, this period remains a source of pain for many Native Americans as it marks the beginning of colonial expansion.
George Washington declared the first nationwide Thanksgiving celebration in 1789 to thank God for the new US Constitution.
The push for a permanent national holiday was spearheaded by Sarah Josepha Hale. As editor of Godey’s Lady’s Book, she campaigned for decades for a day to celebrate national unity.
In 1863, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of Thanksgiving to help heal our then fractured nation.
It wasn’t until 1941 that Congress and President Franklin D. Roosevelt officially designated the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day, ensuring it remained a consistent annual federal holiday.
Thanksgiving has moved beyond its religious and historical roots to become a cornerstone of our culture.
As we plan celebrations with our families, it’s important to remember Thanksgiving is a day to express gratitude for health, family, friends and abundance. At the heart of modern-day celebration is the preparation and sharing of an elaborate meal – just as the Pilgrims did.
Today, traditions like the turkey feast, watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and American football on television have come together to create a unifying family and cultural experience.
Many Native American communities, of course, see history differently and observe a day of mourning for the cultural destruction and oppression suffered after European arrival.