Thanksgiving – Sarah Josepha Hale, whose efforts resulted in the declaration of Thanksgiving holiday.

It is perhaps quite unlikely that the mention of the Thanksgiving holidays will immediately conjure in our minds the name – Sarah Josepha Hale. However, without her, Thanksgiving as we know it wouldn’t have come into existence at all. She was singularly responsible for establishing this beautiful tradition across the country, not just as an empty ritual, but as a living and vibrant force to celebrate gratitude and thankfulness as qualities that should be cherished at all times. Let us get to know a little more about Ms. Hale – that pioneering spirit whose persistence helped establish this day as an annual fixture in the American calendar.

Sarah Josepha Hale was born in 1788 in New Hampshire, New England to parents Captain Gordon Buell, a Revolutionary War veteran, and Martha Whittlesay Buell. Both parents strongly believed in education. Since they belonged to the New England colonial ancestry, they understood and passed on to their children the value of freedom, opportunity, and harmonious relationship as the essence of the New World. Hale was their third child. She was largely a self-educated woman ( an incredible achievement at that time thanks to the encouragement of her parents). She married at the age of twenty-five and was widowed at thirty- four, with five children to care for. However, the American spirit of resilience and optimism ran deep in Sarah. To take care of her family, she took to writing, a result of autodidactic habits and a sensitive flair for language. She published her first novel ” Northwood” in 1827, an influential and widely read book that opened a window to the social mores and life in America in the early nineteenth century. Even as a child, Hale was deeply enamored by the tradition of Thanksgiving as practiced in her hometown. She was especially, drawn to the gratitude and hospitality people showed each other during this day; and in “Northwood”, she captured in elegant prose what she so deeply experienced during her formative years.

Hale, however, found her true vocation not as a novelist ( although she wrote two more works after Northwood) but as an editor of a dedicated women’s magazine founded by Reverend John Lauris Blake, a progressive educator, publisher, and writer. Blake was one of the first Americans to realize the value and imperative need for women to be educated and play an important role in the evolution of American consciousness. In 1827, he started the “Ladies’ Magazine” to put his ideas into motion. In 1828, a year later, Sarah became the magazine’s chief editor. While Blake may have incubated the vision of bringing women into America’s intellectual stream, it was Sarah who realized that vision. For ten years, she honed her skills as an editor, and “Ladies Magazine” under her dexterous editorial ship gained respect and circulation. Vindicating Paul Coelho’s insightful observation that “when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it”, Sarah’s orbit of editorial influence expanded several magnitudes When Louis Antoine Godey, the publisher of “Godey’s Lady’s Book” – a popular Philadephia-based women’s magazine that predominantly featured colored fashion plates, literary pieces, and articles on domestic life – bought “Ladies magazine” in 1938. He had no second thoughts about recruiting Sarah into his editorial team. Godey was not only a seasoned newspaperman, he was also a man of integrity. His idealogy for his magazine was clear: nothing political or controversial should appear in his magazine. In fact, he even refused advertisements claiming that they detracted the reading public from their core purpose. Sarah couldn’t have hoped for a better pedestal to spread her ideas. She found in “Godey’s Lady’s Book” a voice she needed and the magazine backed by a man who was steadfast in his vision to spread knowledge. Under Sarah’s editorial stint, for forty long years, “Godey’s Lady’s Book” became one of the widely circulated, deeply respected, and keenly read magazines of that era. The reach of Sarah’s thoughtfully curated articles and editorials went beyond the general reading public, Governors and Statesmen dipped into its covers to understand the pulse of the public. It was an extraordinary achievement for a lady who only took up writing as a means to feed her kids. Before we get to Sarah’s role in establishing Thanksgiving as a national day, here is a quick refresher on what Thanksgiving commemorates.

The historical context of Thanksgiving is fairly well-known. It dates back to 1621, the year the first American (Plymouth) settlers landed in Massachusetts. The pilgrims – the first settlers called themselves pilgrims because they thought of themselves as men and women who journeyed away from their homeland to establish their own religious identity among other freedoms – had a torrid time initially acclimating to a new land, especially, the harsh New England winters that froze their bones. During this time, it is said that they found exceptional warmth and support from the Wampanoag people, the natives of the New World, and without the hospitality of this indigenous population, the pilgrims might not have survived at all. Thanksgiving as a tradition specifically relates to the three-day feast shared by the settlers and the natives after the harvest season in 1621. Though this friendly narrative is popular among the public, it is not without its critiques. There is enough evidence to believe that the relations between the natives and the settlers were not as comfortable as it has come to be known. However, regardless of its origins, there is no doubt that the meaning and essence of Thanksgiving is one of gratitude, forgiveness, and acceptance – which are qualities worth celebrating and beyond dispute.

Hale was particularly interested in establishing Thanksgiving as a national holiday. As the editor of a leading magazine, she began the campaign in 1940 and for the next two decades, personally wrote no less than four Presidents: Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce, and James Buchanan, but none of them did anything about it. The 1860s were not the best times for America. Civil war between the North and the South was dividing the land and eating up resources. President Abraham Lincoln had a huge weight on his shoulders. On Sept. 28th, 1863. Hale wrote President Lincoln a beautifully crafted letter that urged the President to consider Thanksgiving as a national holiday. Knowing President Lincoln, he would have appreciated the passion and the erudition of the writer. There is one paragraph that I wish to quote in full, which captures the passion, persuasion, and eloquence that Hale brought to bear upon this subject. She wrote:

“For the last fifteen years, I have set forth this idea in the “Lady’s Book” and placed the papers before the Governors of all the States and Territories — also I have sent these to our Ministers abroad, and our Missionaries to the heathen — and commanders in the Navy. From the recipients I have received, uniformly the most kind approval. Two of these letters, one from Governor (now General) Banks and one from Governor Morgan are enclosed; both gentlemen, as you will see, have nobly aided to bring about the desired Thanksgiving Union. But I find there are obstacles not possible to be overcome without legislative aid — that each State should, by statute, make it obligatory on the Governor to appoint the last Thursday of November, annually, as Thanksgiving Day; — or, as this way would require years to be realized, it has occurred to me that a proclamation from the President of the United States would be the best, surest and most fitting method of National appointment.”

On October 3, 1863, President Lincoln issued the proclamation declaring Thanksgiving as a national holiday. In his inimitable style and tone, Lincoln made a compelling case for this holiday. In the opening sentence, he wrote: “The year that is drawing towards its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God…..”, and the paragraph goes on to declare how grateful America was to receive all the blessings even during those terrible times when war was exhausting the natural resources and, equally, the energies and spirit of men on both sides. Towards the end of the proclamation, Lincoln declared Thanksgiving as a national holiday in these words: “I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens”.

After forty years of persistent advocacy, Sarah Joseha Hale’s wish was fulfilled. Thanksgiving finally received its national recognition, and Secretary of State William .H. Seward released the Government order under the seal and sign of the President, making the Thanksgiving holiday official. In 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a joint resolution of Congress changing the national Thanksgiving Day from the last Thursday in November to the fourth Thursday of the month. This change was passed with a view to boosting American economy which was yet to recover fully from the great depression at that time. It was expected that by moving Thanksgiving to the fourth Thursday, the holidays could be extended, and that in turn would increase public spending. The black Fridays and Cyber Mondays we have today are exaggerated manifestations of that expectation.

Sarah Josepha Hale passed away in Philadelphia at the age of 90, leaving behind a legacy that still remains indelibly marked on the nation. Apart from her persistent evangelism of Thanksgiving which is the subject of this essay, her copious literary contributions include publishing the popular nursery rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb” ( which was first published in the magazine she edited), and her advocacy for the preservation of historic sites. Her life in the public sphere is unique in that she balanced her literary output with social and civic causes that mattered. As a capable editor, she wielded benevolent power over her readers and helped shape the opinions of a nation in the making.

Thanksgiving time is one of my favorite holiday seasons of the year. I don’t do much. I catch up with my reading, and movies and go out for long walks, if weather permits., and on the way I cordially say hello to everyone I pass by. I find people are much more relaxed and nimble during this period. I sense a palpable atmosphere of gratitude all around, and a lightness of heart that all of us should give into more often, perhaps – to be able to let go and make space to heal. The trees in the community have almost shed their leaves. They are barren now, beautiful in their sparse, stoic way. The past is no more for them, leaves in their fullness have gracefully detached themselves and danced their way to the ground below. Their time is over. There are no regrets, and now just a breathless period of waiting until new life begins to sprout. I reflect if this is the model for human life. Can we forget, forgive, be thankful, and move on? Thanksgiving brings about these questions and I like to reflect on them.

I wish all NIITians a happy Thanksgiving and all the happiness and peace for this holiday season and beyond.