When Thanksgiving Almost Wasn’t…
Turkey day is fast approaching and I know my mouth is already watering at the thought of the glorious feasting it entails. Alright so there are no Thanksgiving presents, but when there is good food to be had I could care less. Thanksgiving is probably one of my favorite holidays (yep even better than Christmas in my mind!) and so it was quite distressing to hear it was almost canceled for good way back when. Prior to 1863 Thanksgiving was not observed as a National Holiday, in fact many states wanted to do away with it all together. Fortunately for all of us turkey fans out there a woman named Sarah Hale had our backs.
Mrs. Hale was quite the lady and quite the writer, being one the first published American women with her book Northwood: A Tale of New England, an editor of American Ladies Magazine (Godey’s Lady Book), and she even managed to compose ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’. Hale began her crusade to save Thanksgiving when pretty much anywhere but New England was celebrating the holiday and she began writing letters. Sarah wrote to five different presidents to plead her case, her example encouraging other women to follow her example. It was in 1863 that President Abraham Lincoln finally decreed Thanksgiving as a national holiday to be celebrated the fourth Thursday of November.
The library has some great Thanksgiving titles, from kids books to cook books, so make sure to check them out to further appreciate this delicious holiday.
Thank You, Sarah by Laurie Halse Anderson, illustrated by Matt Faulkner
Turk and Runt by Lisa Wheeler, Illustrated by Frank Ansley
Thanksgiving 101 by Rick Rodgers
Thanksgiving Day Crafts by Arlene Erlbach
Filed under: Books, Movies, Music, Research
Tags: history, holidays, Sarah Hale, thanksgiving, Turkey
by Kate on
November 18, 2009
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