Which president declared thanksgiving a national holiday?

Which president declared Thanksgiving a national holiday?

President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863. He issued a proclamation on October 3, 1863, calling for a national day of thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November. Lincoln's proclamation was made during the Civil War, and he hoped that it would help to unite the country and promote healing.

Thanksgiving had been celebrated in the United States for many years before Lincoln's proclamation, but it was not a national holiday. The date of the holiday varied from year to year, and it was up to the president to declare a day of thanksgiving. Lincoln's proclamation made Thanksgiving a fixed date on the calendar, and it has been celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November ever since.

Lincoln's proclamation is still relevant today, as it reminds us of the importance of taking time to reflect on our blessings and to express our gratitude for the people in our lives.