Abraham Lincoln Declares Thanksgiving An Annual National Holiday
On October 3, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln made the traditional Thanksgiving what it is today, an annual celebration, to be observed on the fourth Thursday of every November. In the midst of the Civil War, Lincoln reminded Americans of their country’s blessings and asked them to “set apart and observe the last Thursday of November… as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise.” Prior to this, President George Washington declared Thursday, Nov. 26, 1789, a day of “sincere and humble thanks” (but he didn’t make it an annual holiday). Lincoln, whose sexuality has always been the subject of scrutiny, comes to life in Steven Spielberg biopic, “Lincoln,” released this month in theaters. Though many have speculated he had relationships with men, his supposed “lavender side” isn’t addressed in the film. So we have (the and possibly queer) Honest Abe to thank for Thanksgiving!
