White House Historical Association: Background - History of White House Thanksgiving Traditions
November 20, 2019
November 20, 2019
WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- The White House Historical Association issued the following news release:
The White House Thanksgiving celebration has been traced back to President Abraham Lincoln's administration when the president declared in 1863 that the last Thursday in November would be commemorated as Thanksgiving Day.
In 1989, the formalities of pardoning a turkey became a White House Thanksgiving tradition when President George H.W. Bush remarked: "'Repri . . .
The White House Thanksgiving celebration has been traced back to President Abraham Lincoln's administration when the president declared in 1863 that the last Thursday in November would be commemorated as Thanksgiving Day.
In 1989, the formalities of pardoning a turkey became a White House Thanksgiving tradition when President George H.W. Bush remarked: "'Repri . . .