This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
The Pilgrims and the Woman Who Shaped Thanksgiving
The article traces Thanksgiving origins from Plymouth and Massasoit through early observances, then credits Sarah Josepha Hale with forging a national date. It notes Hale’s campaigns from 1827 in Godey’s Lady’s Book, her letters to presidents, and Lincoln’s 1863 proclamation making the last Thursday in November a nationwide holiday. It highlights Hale’s broader advocacy for women and education while preserving the holiday’s period voice.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Pilgrim Fathers
Abraham Lincoln
Sarah Josepha Hale
New England
America
Mourt
Plymouth
Massasoyt
England
Philip
Massachusetts General Court
Continental Congress
George Washington
Philadelphia
Washington
John Adams
Thomas Jefferson
James Madison
Madison
Mrs. Hale
Newport N. H
Mary
Gatley
Society For
Godey
Virginia
Pennsylvania
Sarah Hale
Illmore
Pierce
Buchanan
Hale
Fillmore
Buffalo
Duchanan
Lincoln
United States of America
Republic
Seward
Jincoln
Sarah Josépha Hale