On October 3, 1863, expressing gratitude for a pivotal Union Army victory at Gettysburg, President Abraham Lincoln announces that the nation will celebrate an official Thanksgiving holiday on November 26, 1863.
The speech, which was actually written by Secretary of State William Seward, declared that the fourth Thursday of every November thereafter would be considered an official U.S. holiday of Thanksgiving. This announcement harkened back to when George Washington was in his first term as the first president in 1789 and the young American nation had only a few years earlier emerged from the American Revolution. At that time, George Washington called for an official celebratory “day of public thanksgiving and prayer.” While Congress overwhelmingly agreed to Washington’s suggestion, the holiday did not yet become an annual event.
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Citation Information
Article Title
President Lincoln proclaims official Thanksgiving holiday
AuthorHistory.com Editors
Website Name
HISTORY
URL
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/lincoln-proclaims-official-thanksgiving-holiday
Access Date
October 3, 2021
Publisher
A&E Television Networks
Last Updated
October 1, 2020
Original Published Date
November 16, 2009
