“Mary had a Little Lamb”…and Thanksgiving? Do you know the connection? No, lamb was not a favored entrée at that first Thanksgiving. The connection is a relatively unknown woman.
Sarah Josepha Hale was born in 1788. She loved to read and was homeschooled by her mother. At age 18 she began to teach school. She also wrote poetry. She married David Hale, however 9 years later her husband died and she was left with little means to raise 5 children under the age of 7. In 1830 she published a book of poetry with the beloved nursery rhyme, “Mary had a Little Lamb”. In 1835 she had published her second book and in both were the beginnings of what would become for Sarah a lifelong crusade…promoting a day of thanksgiving. Sarah went on to become the editor of Godey’s Lady Book, a magazine for women. By this time she had become one of America’s most influential voices. In 1851 she wrote her first Thanksgiving editorial suggesting that America needed two national holidays: the already celebrated Independence Day and a Day of Thanksgiving. It was Sarah’s hope that a day of thanksgiving would unite the country. She suggested the 4th Thursday in November with this explanation,
“The last Thursday in November has these advantages – harvests of all kinds are gathered in – summer travelers have returned to their homes – the diseases that, during summer and early autumn, often afflict some portions of our country, have ceased, and all are prepared to enjoy a day of Thanksgiving”
Sarah’s dream of uniting the country in a day of Thanksgiving was not to be achieved as the Civil War broke out. Yet, Sarah did not give up. In 1863 she persisted by writing a letter to President Abraham Lincoln. In October of that same year, President Lincoln wrote a proclamation observing the last Thursday in November as a Day of Thanksgiving for the country. Sarah was still not entirely satisfied and petitioned Congress to make Thanksgiving a law. Unfortunately Sarah died in 1879 at the age of 91 before seeing her dream came true. However, many years later on November 26, 1941 President Franklin Roosevelt signed a Thanksgiving bill into law (pilgrimhallmuseum.org) The cause that Sarah had promoted for most of her adult life had become a reality.
This Thanksgiving as we sit around the table enjoying a meal with family and friends, let us not forget to give thanks to those persons who with passion have persevered to see their dreams realized, gifting all of us through their pursuits. Let us raise a toast to those unknown men and women…and let us not forget Sarah Josepha Hale!
From all of us at Lifelines, Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
