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Once There Was a Day
The first U.S. presidential "Proclamation of Thanksgiving" was issued by George
Washington in 1789; another wasn't declared until Abraham Lincoln issued
one in 1862.  These, however, aren't considered the originators of what has
become a national tradition, because they gave thanks for victories in battle
and not for a more general thanksgiving of blessings received.

Abraham Lincoln's "Proclamation of Thanksgiving," issued in 1863, gave thanks
for the blessings of the year and it's regarded as the first of an unbroken string
of annual presidential proclamations.  You'll find brief excerpts from the
proclamations of a few U.S. presidents below.

The title of the page comes from a quote from the movie, Pieces of April,
written by Peter Hedges:  "Once, there was this day, Thanksgiving - this
one day - when everyone realized they needed each other."

-- Nancy
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.  It
has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and
gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American
People. 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.

President Abraham Lincoln, October 3, 1863
Older than our nation itself is the hallowed custom of resting from our labors for one day at harvest
time and of dedicating that day to expressions of gratitude to Almighty God for the many blessings
which He has heaped upon us.  Now, as the cycle of the year nears completion, it is fitting that we
should lift up our hearts again in special prayers.  May our thanksgiving this year be tempered by
humility, by sympathy for those who lack abundance, and by compassion for those in want.  As we
express appreciation in prayer for our magnificent gifts, may we remember that it is more blessed to
give than to receive; and may we manifest our remembrance of that precept by generously sharing
our bounty.  I proclaim Thursday, November 27, 1947, as a day of national thanksgiving; and I call
upon the people of the United States of every faith to consecrate that day to thoughts of gratitude,
acts of devotion, and a firm resolve to assist in the efforts being made by religious groups and other
bodies to aid the undernourished, the sick, the aged, and all sufferers in war-devastated lands.

President Harry S. Truman, Thanksgiving Day, 1947
On this Thanksgiving Day, we reaffirm our faith in our heritage of freedom, and our spirit of
sharing.  In the spirit of Thanksgiving, Americans humbly recognize how fortunate we are to be
strong, as individuals, and as a nation.  This year, let us observe Thanksgiving in the spirit of
peace and sharing, by declaring it a day of Thankful Giving, a day upon which the American
people share their plenty with  the hungry of other lands.  I call upon the American people to
support the concept of Thankful Giving in order that we may one day assure that no individual
anywhere will suffer from hunger, and that we may move to a day of universal celebration in a
more perfect community within our nation and around the world.  Like those who came before
us, we come to give thanks for our singular deliverances and blessings, in a time of both danger
and great promise. May we be thankful in proportion to that which we have received, trusting not
in our wealth and comforts, but in the strength of our purpose, that all nations might be similarly
blessed with liberty and abundance and live in peace.

President Jimmy Carter, October 20, 1978
Our tradition of Thanksgiving is older than our Nation itself. Indeed, the native American
Thanksgiving antedated those of the new Americans. In the words of the eloquent Seneca
tradition of the Iroquois, "…give it your thought, that with one mind we may now give thanks
to Him our Creator."  This year we can be especially thankful that real gratitude to God is
inscribed, not in proclamations of government, but in the hearts of all our people who come
from every race, culture, and creed on the face of the Earth. And as we pause to give
thanks for our many gifts, let us be tempered by humility and by compassion for those in
need, and let us reaffirm through prayer and action our determination to share our bounty
with those less fortunate.

President Ronald Reagan, October 19, 1984
As Americans gather for the time-honored Thanksgiving Day meal, let us rejoice in the
abundance that graces our tables, in the simple gifts that mark our days, in the loved ones
who enrich our lives, and in the gifts of a gracious God. Let us recall that our forebears met
their challenges with hope and an unfailing spirit, and let us resolve to do the same.  In
confronting the challenges of our day, we must draw strength from the resolve of previous
generations who faced their own struggles and take comfort in knowing a brighter day has
always dawned on our great land. As we stand at the close of one year and look to the
promise of the next, we lift up our hearts in gratitude to God for our many blessings, for one
another, and for our Nation.  I encourage all the people of the United States to come together
to give thanks for all we have received in the past year, to express appreciation to those
whose lives enrich our own, and to share our bounty with others.

President Barack Obama, November 23, 2010
~ ~ ~
As a Nation we have prospered; we are enjoying the fruit of our land and the product of
our toil; we are making progress in our efforts to translate our national ideals into living
realities; and we are at peace with the world, working toward that day when the benefits
of freedom and justice shall be secured for all mankind.  For such blessings, let us be
devoutly thankful, and at the same time let us be sensitive and responsive to the
obligations which such great mercies entail.  I call upon our people to observe Thursday,
November 28, 1957, as a day of national thanksgiving. On that day let all of us, in
accordance with our hallowed custom, foregather in our respective places of worship or
in our homes and offer up prayers of thanks for our manifold blessings. Let the happiness
which stems from family reunions on Thanksgiving Day be tempered with compassion
and inspired by an active concern for those less fortunate in our own country and in other
lands; and let us ask God’s continuing help and guidance in our conduct, both as
individuals and as a Nation.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower, November 8, 1957