Give thanks, all ye people, give thanks to the Lord,
Alleluias of freedom with joyful accord:
Let the East and the West, North and South roll along,
Sea, mountain and prairie, one thanksgiving song.
- from “The President’s Hymn” written by William Augustus Muhlenburg for President Abraham Lincoln, 1863
The fourth Thursday of November is coming soon. That day we celebrate one of the major holidays of the year, Thanksgiving Day.
The first Thanksgiving Day in America was on December 4, 1619. At that time, it was a fully religious thing. A group of 38 English settlers arrived at Berkeley Plantation via the James river (near Charles City, Va) on December 4, 1619 and their charter required that the day of their arrival be observed yearly as a day of thanksgiving to God.
In New England, the first Thanksgiving Day was celebrated in Plymouth in 1621 by the Pilgrims together with 91 Indians. The Pilgrims first set foot at Plymouth Rock on December 11, 1620.
The first winter in Massachusetts was really bad and 46 out of the original 102 Pilgrims died. It is believed that the Indians helped the Pilgrims through that difficult period and without them, the Pilgrims would not have survived.
In 1789, President George Washington issued a general proclamation naming November 26 a day of National Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving Timeline
1777: All 13 Colonies hold thanksgiving celebrations.
1789: President George Washington declares November 26th, a national day of thanksgiving.
1920: The first Thanksgiving parade is held in Philadelphia.
1924: The first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is held in New York City.
1934: The National Football League holds its first game on Thanksgiving Day.
1941: After altering the date of Thanksgiving, President Franklin Roosevelt reestablishes the fourth Thursday of November as Thanksgiving Day.
1947: President Harry Truman pardons a turkey that is marked for Thanksgiving dinner at the White House.
This thanksgiving holiday is a good time for us to take a step back from our busy lives and remind ourselves of what we are thankful for. Thanksgiving is a time to say thanks to our dear ones for the favors they have done for us.
We would like to express our deep gratitude to Paula and Sha for making a beautiful Thanksgiving Display for our library.
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