Learn more about Sarah Josepha Hale and why she so desperately wanted President Abraham Lincoln ... Hale campaigned for a national day of Thanksgiving for decades. In the 1840s, many states ...

When did the U.S. start observing Thanksgiving? The U.S. has recognized Thanksgiving since 1789, when President George Washington issued the first proclamation designating the first national day ...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 4. -- The President has issued the following Thanksgiving proclamation: View Full Article in Timesmachine » Advertisement ...

However, it did start a tradition among the settlers ... At this time, because Thanksgiving was still not a fixed day, the president could choose any date as a day of thanks.