Happy Thanksgiving!

[ziasudra]

I meant to write this thoughtful post about Thanksgiving and what I'm thankful for, but I'm suffering from post-too-much-turkey food coma and my mind is mush. So in lieu of thoughtfulness, here's a Very Happy Thanksgiving to all you American friends (and non-Americans who celebrate today)!


From an e-mail I got via the J-school listserv:

As we prepare to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, please keep in mind that, in large part, the holiday was created by...a journalist...Sarah Jospeha Hale.

Ms. Hale was a journalist who began writing in the 1820s, doing poetry underr a pen name, because at that time it was not regarded as respectable for women to write and publish. She also was a novelist and editor and a strong supporter of women's rights and raised money for the Bunker Hill monument in Boston.

In 1836 Ms Hale joined "Godey's Lady's Book," which, by the 1850s, had a circulation of 150,000 and was the most popular publication for women in the United States.

In 1846 Ms. Hale began campaignoing for Thanksgiving as a national holiday. Every year she would write stories supporting this idea, and also run recipes for dishes that, she, said, would be appropriate for Thanksgiving.

In September 1863, Ms. Hale published an editorial again calling for a national holiday of Thanksgiving. Shortly thereafter she met with President Linkcon, and on October 3, 1863, following the great Union victories at Gettysburgy and Vicsksburg, President Lincoln issued a National Thanksgiving Proclamation, the first time such a proclomation had been issued since the administration of George Washington.

Mr. Linconln wrote:
"The year that is drawing to a close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies...It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should solemnly, reverently, and gratefully ackowledged as with on heart and one voice by the whole American People."

Ms. Hale became an editor and edited "Godey's Lady's Book" until 1877.

Have a great Thanksgiving -- and, I hope -- as you do ackowledge the contributions of a journalist, now forgotten, and journalism to American life.

Cheers,

[department grad director]

Comments

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Happy Thanksgiving, sweetie! Hope your day was terrific. *Hugs*

[ziasudra.livejournal.com]

The same to you! I ate so much last night, I promptly passed out after all the food ^_^;;