By: Stanley L. Klos
The History of U.S. Thanksgiving Day Proclamations
The tradition of issuing official Thanksgiving Proclamations in the United States reflects both the gratitude and resilience of the nation during moments of triumph and tribulation. Rooted in the values of faith, humility, and thanksgiving, these proclamations serve as a lens into the historical priorities and cultural identity of the United States. While modern Thanksgiving is celebrated as a federal holiday on the fourth Thursday of November, its origins and evolution span centuries of national growth and change.
The Revolutionary Era and Early National Thanksgiving Proclamations
The first national Thanksgiving Proclamation was issued on March 16, 1776, by the Continental Congress under President John Hancock. However, this was designated as a Fast Day rather than a day of feasting, intended to inspire collective prayer for strength in the fight against British rule. This practice of designating days of fasting or thanksgiving would continue throughout the Revolutionary War and into the early years of the republic.[^1]
Henry Laurens’ First Thanksgiving Proclamation
The first Thanksgiving Day Proclamation specifically for celebration was issued on November 1, 1777, under President Henry Laurens. Following the American victory at the Battle of Saratoga, Congress called for a day of national thanksgiving, declaring:
"The Arms of the United States of America having been blessed in the present Campaign with remarkable Success, Congress have Resolved to recommend that one day, Thursday the 18th December next be Set apart to be observed by all Inhabitants throughout these States for a General thanksgiving to Almighty God."[^2]
This victory, which helped secure the alliance with France, marked a turning point in the Revolutionary War and provided the fledgling nation with renewed hope.
Thanksgiving in the Early Republic
Presidential proclamations of thanksgiving continued under the leadership of Congress and early U.S. presidents, often coinciding with significant events or periods of reflection:
John Jay (1779): As the fourth president of the Continental Congress, John Jay issued a proclamation urging Americans to reflect and pray, stating:
"... the first Thursday in May next, to be a day of fasting, Thanksgiving humiliation and prayer to Almighty God, that he will be pleased to avert those impending calamities which we have but too well deserved."[^3]
Samuel Huntington (1781): Huntington’s 1781 proclamation emphasized repentance and a return to moral principles:
"... that Thursday the third day of May next, may be observed as a day of humiliation, fasting and prayer, that we may, with united hearts, confess and bewail our manifold sins and transgressions, and by sincere repentance and amendment of life, appease his righteous displeasure."[^4]
Thomas McKean (1781): After General Cornwallis’s surrender at Yorktown, McKean proclaimed December 13, 1781, a day of thanksgiving, declaring:
"It is therefore recommended to the several states to set apart the 13th day of December next, to be religiously observed as a Day of Thanksgiving and Prayer; that all the people may assemble on that day, with grateful hearts, to celebrate the praises of our gracious Benefactor."[^5]
John Hanson (1782): Hanson, the first president of Congress under the ratified Articles of Confederation, proclaimed a day of thanksgiving on November 28, 1782, to mark progress in the Treaty of Paris negotiations:
"... the observation of the last Thursday, in the 28 day of November next, as a day of solemn thanksgiving to God for all his mercies..."[^6]
The First Thanksgiving Under the Constitution
On September 28, 1789, the First Federal Congress under the new U.S. Constitution passed a resolution recommending that President George Washington declare a day of national thanksgiving. Washington issued his proclamation on October 3, 1789, designating November 26 as a day of "public thanksgiving and prayer." He wrote:
"Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be."[^7]
Washington’s proclamation emphasized gratitude for the peaceful establishment of a new government and set the precedent for national thanksgiving observances under the U.S. Constitution.
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George Washington’s 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation, issued on October 3, established November 26 as a day of “public thanksgiving and prayer.” In this handwritten document, Washington thanked “providence” for guiding America through the Revolutionary War, the establishment of the Constitution, and the blessings of civil and religious liberty. Requested by Congress during its first session, the proclamation came just days after the Bill of Rights was sent to the states for ratification, reflecting the collaborative spirit of the new government and setting a precedent for future national observances. – Image Courtesy of Seth Kaller |
Thanksgiving During the Civil War: Lincoln’s Proclamation
Thanksgiving proclamations continued sporadically under succeeding presidents but were not yet annual traditions. It was President Abraham Lincoln who formalized the practice during the Civil War. On October 3, 1863, Lincoln issued a proclamation designating the last Thursday of November as a day of national Thanksgiving. In a time of deep division, Lincoln wrote:
"No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy."[^8]
April 10, 1862 | Abraham Lincoln | Proclamation - Day of Public Thanksgiving for Civil War Victories |
July 15, 1863 | Abraham Lincoln | Proclamation - Day of Thanksgiving, Praise, and Prayer, August 6, 1863 |
October 3, 1863 | Abraham Lincoln | Proclamation - Thanksgiving Day, 1863 |
October 20 1864 | Abraham Lincoln | Proclamation - Thanksgiving Day, 1864 |
This proclamation was issued after Union victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg and was intended to foster unity and gratitude amidst the turmoil of war.
Confederate States of America President Jefferson Davis was also no stranger to Thanksgiving proclamation having given thanks for victories in battle in 1862 and had, early in 1861, proclaimed a Day of Fasting & Humiliation. Shortly, after the Battle of Gettysburg President Davis issued a second Proclamation calling for a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer:
![PROCLAMATION BY THE PRESIDENT The Confederate States - Again do I call upon the people of the Confederacy -- a people who believe that the Lord reigneth, and that His overruling Providence ordereth all things -- to unite in prayer and humble submission under His chastening hand, and to beseech His favor on our suffering country. It is meet that when trials and reverses befall us we should seek to take home to our hearts and consciences the lessons which they teach, and profit by the self-examination for which they prepare us. Had not our success on land and sea made us self-confident and forgetful of our reliance on Him? Had not the love of lucre eaten like a gangrene into the very heart of the land, converting too many of us into worshippers of gain and rendering them unmindful of their duty to their country, to their fellow-men, and to their God? Who, then, will presume to complain that we have been chastened, or to despair of our just cause and the protection of our Heavenly Father? Let us rather receive in humble thankfulness the lesson which He has taught in our recent reverses, devoutly acknowledging that to Him, and not to our own feeble arms, are due the honor and the glory of victory; that from Him, in His paternal providence, come the anguish and sufferings of defeat, and that, whether in victory or defeat, our humble supplications are due to His footstool. Now, therefore, I, JEFFERSON DAVIS, President of these Confederate States, do issue this, my Proclamation, setting apart Friday, the 21st day of August ensuing, as a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer; and I do hereby invite the people of the Confederate States to repair, on that day, to their respective places of public worship, and to unite in supplication for the favor and protection of that God who has hitherto conducted us safely through all the dangers that environed us. [a.s.] In faith whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of the Confederate States, at Richmond, this twenty-fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three. By the President: JEFFERSON DAVIS. J.P. BENJAMIN, Secretary of State.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifsHGF15x0px1n07HWDugERJEYibGAwKY3SQg0YcKEDpxJrDozobts7O9KzEy7DaTFkJd3i09NxcNtI0LMTdpUPaeRdNkJdX5NJjTdhboy5h8OJhBCa0j-orkX8db8Ao2cBHOD98Rm2JU8/s1600/Jefferson+Davis+Fasting+Proclamation.jpg "JEFFERSON DAVIS, President of these Confederate States, do issue this, Fast Day Proclamation, for Friday, the 21st day of August , 1863 - https://www.thanksgivingproclamations.com/")
Modern Thanksgiving: Standardizing the Date
The practice of issuing Thanksgiving proclamations became an annual tradition, but the date varied. In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt attempted to move Thanksgiving to the third Thursday in November to extend the Christmas shopping season during the Great Depression. The decision caused controversy, with some states following Roosevelt’s lead and others maintaining the traditional last Thursday observance. To resolve the issue, Congress passed a law in 1941 fixing Thanksgiving as the fourth Thursday of November, which Roosevelt signed into law on December 26 of that year.[^9]
In his 1933 proclamation, Roosevelt reflected on the enduring significance of Thanksgiving, writing:
I , Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United States of America, do set aside and appoint Thursday, the thirtieth day of November 1933, to be a Day of Thanksgiving for all our people. May we on that day in our churches and in our homes give humble thanks for the blessings bestowed upon us during the year past by Almighty God.
"May we on that day in our churches and in our homes give humble thanks for the blessings bestowed upon us during the year past by Almighty God."[^10]
Lady Liberty and Uncle Sam Thanksgiving engraving 1896
Other Notable Presidential Proclamations
Thomas Jefferson (1808): Jefferson, who was reluctant to issue proclamations due to concerns about the separation of church and state, acknowledged Thanksgiving in a private letter, stating, "I join in the universal rejoicings on that day, and offer to heaven the warmest thanksgivings for the past and blessings for the future."[^11]
Woodrow Wilson (1918): Amid the end of World War I, Wilson called for a national day of gratitude, stating:
"This year we have special and moving cause to be grateful and to rejoice. God has in His good pleasure given us peace. It has not come as a mere cessation of arms, a mere relief from the strain and tragedy of war. It has come as a great triumph of right."[^12]
H.J. Res. 41, Making the Last Thursday in November a Legal Holiday, October 6, 1941, RG 233, Records of the U.S. House of Representatives, Center for Legislative Archives.
Senate Amendments to H.J. Res. 41, Making the Fourth Thursday in November a Legal Holiday, December 9, 1941, RG 233, Records of the U.S. House of Representatives, Center for Legislative Archives.
Conclusion
From its origins during the Revolutionary War to its establishment as a national holiday, Thanksgiving Proclamations have reflected the values of faith, gratitude, and unity that define the United States. These proclamations, often issued during moments of crisis or celebration, serve as reminders of the enduring blessings of freedom and resilience.
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National Collegiate Honor’s Council Partners in the Park Class of 2017 Students at the 2nd Bank of the United States under the portrait of USCA President Samuel Huntington. Sydney is holding-up a Revolutionary War–dated manuscript document signed as President of the Continental Congress, “Sam. Huntington,” May 16, 1780. This is a $6,000 pay order issued to Joseph Borden, commissioner of the Continental Loan Office of New Jersey for clothing. Chris is holding-up a document signed by James Lawrence, and cancelled by Oliver Ellsworth, Jr. for monies owed by the State of Connecticut to Huntington for his service as a delegate to congress and the nation. The note is dated March 11, 1781, which was the 11th day of the Huntington’s service as the first USCA President under the Articles of Confederation. On the verso is of this document is written "Number 1424 Certificate, Saml Huntington Dat 1 Feby, 1781, £ 11-9-4" with a second signature “Saml Huntington.” President Samuel Huntington was the first President to serve under the Articles of Confederation, not John Hanson. – For more information visit our National Park and NCHC Partners in the Park Class of 2017 website
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| White House Photo: November 19th, 1963, The President Receives Thanksgiving Turkey from Poultry and Egg National Board, Accompanied by Senator Everett M. Dirkson. |
For students and teachers of U.S. history, this video features Stanley and Christopher Klos presenting America's Four United Republics Curriculum at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. Filmed in December 2015, this video is an informal recording by an audience member capturing a presentation attended by approximately 200 students, professors, and guests. To explore the full curriculum, [download it here].
September 5, 1774 | October 22, 1774 | |
October 22, 1774 | October 26, 1774 | |
May 20, 1775 | May 24, 1775 | |
May 25, 1775 | July 1, 1776 |
July 2, 1776 to February 28, 1781
July 2, 1776 | October 29, 1777 | |
November 1, 1777 | December 9, 1778 | |
December 10, 1778 | September 28, 1779 | |
September 29, 1779 | February 28, 1781 |
March 1, 1781 to March 3, 1789
March 1, 1781 | July 6, 1781 | |
July 10, 1781 | Declined Office | |
July 10, 1781 | November 4, 1781 | |
November 5, 1781 | November 3, 1782 | |
November 4, 1782 | November 2, 1783 | |
November 3, 1783 | June 3, 1784 | |
November 30, 1784 | November 22, 1785 | |
November 23, 1785 | June 5, 1786 | |
June 6, 1786 | February 1, 1787 | |
February 2, 1787 | January 21, 1788 | |
January 22, 1788 | January 21, 1789 |
United States in Congress Assembled (USCA) Sessions
USCA | Session Dates | USCA Convene Date | President(s) |
First | 03-01-1781 to 11-04-1781* | 03-02-1781 | |
Second | 11-05-1781 to 11-03-1782 | 11-05-1781 | |
Third | 11-04-1782 to 11-02-1783 | 11-04-1782 | |
Fourth | 11-03-1783 to 10-31-1784 | 11-03-1783 | |
Fifth | 11-01-1784 to 11-06-1785 | 11-29-1784 | |
Sixth | 11-07-1785 to 11-05-1786 | 11-23-1785 | |
Seventh | 11-06-1786 to 11-04-1787 | 02-02-1787 | |
Eighth | 11-05-1787 to 11-02-1788 | 01-21-1788 | |
Ninth | 11-03-1788 to 03-03-1789** | None | None |
* The Articles of Confederation was ratified by the mandated 13th State on February 2, 1781, and the dated adopted by the Continental Congress to commence the new United States in Congress Assembled government was March 1, 1781. The USCA convened under the Articles of Confederation Constitution on March 2, 1781.** On September 14, 1788, the Eighth United States in Congress Assembled resolved that March 4th, 1789, would be commencement date of the Constitution of 1787's federal government thus dissolving the USCA on March 3rd, 1789.
Philadelphia | Sept. 5, 1774 to Oct. 24, 1774 | |
Philadelphia | May 10, 1775 to Dec. 12, 1776 | |
Baltimore | Dec. 20, 1776 to Feb. 27, 1777 | |
Philadelphia | March 4, 1777 to Sept. 18, 1777 | |
Lancaster | September 27, 1777 | |
York | Sept. 30, 1777 to June 27, 1778 | |
Philadelphia | July 2, 1778 to June 21, 1783 | |
Princeton | June 30, 1783 to Nov. 4, 1783 | |
Annapolis | Nov. 26, 1783 to Aug. 19, 1784 | |
Trenton | Nov. 1, 1784 to Dec. 24, 1784 | |
New York City | Jan. 11, 1785 to Nov. 13, 1788 | |
New York City | October 6, 1788 to March 3,1789 | |
New York City | March 3,1789 to August 12, 1790 | |
Philadelphia | Dec. 6,1790 to May 14, 1800 | |
Washington DC | November 17,1800 to Present |
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