Tue Nov 26 06:16:51 UTC 2024: ## Thanksgiving 2024: A Nation Celebrates, Reflects on History
**Washington D.C.** – This year, Americans will gather on Thursday, November 28th, to celebrate Thanksgiving, a national holiday steeped in both joyous tradition and complex history. The holiday, observed annually on the fourth Thursday of November, marks a time for families to come together, share a festive meal, and express gratitude.
The origins of Thanksgiving trace back to 1621, to a harvest feast shared between the Wampanoag Native American tribe and English colonists. While this event is often romanticized, the holiday’s historical significance remains a point of contention. The subsequent years saw devastating consequences for Native Americans, including widespread disease and conflict over land.
Thanksgiving officially became a national holiday in 1863, proclaimed by President Abraham Lincoln amidst the Civil War, as a time for national healing and reconciliation. This year, President Joe Biden continued the tradition of pardoning two turkeys, Peach and Blossom, at the White House, a practice believed to have started during Lincoln’s presidency.
Modern Thanksgiving celebrations typically include a large meal featuring turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie, along with family gatherings, parades (most notably the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade), and charitable giving.
However, for many Native Americans and Alaska Natives, Thanksgiving serves as a reminder of a darker past of colonization, displacement, and violence. The holiday, they argue, overshadows the suffering inflicted upon their ancestors. As the nation celebrates, this contrasting perspective underscores the complexities and enduring legacy of this multifaceted holiday.
First Piper 