Thanksgiving: Fact Sheet
Thanksgiving: Fact Sheet
Updated November 20, 2023
Congressional Research Service
https://crsreports.congress.gov
R44279
Thanksgiving: Fact Sheet
Introduction
Thanksgiving is a federal holiday observed on the fourth Thursday in November.
In 1789, President George Washington declared November 26 a national day of Thanksgiving.
Subsequent Presidents issued Thanksgiving proclamations, but the dates of the commemoration
changed. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation establishing the last
Thursday of November as Thanksgiving
In October 1941, Congress passed H.J. Res. 41, which declared the last Thursday in November a
legal holiday. In December 1941, the resolution was amended to establish the holiday as the
fourth Thursday, taking into account years when November has five Thursdays.
This guide is designed to assist congressional offices with work related to Thanksgiving. It
provides links to sample congressional speeches, presidential proclamations, and cultural and
historical resources.
CRS Report
CRS Report R41990, Federal Holidays: Evolution and Current Practices, by Jacob R. Straus
Selected Congressional Speeches
Members of Congress often make floor statements, issue press releases, and enter Extensions of
Remarks into the Congressional Record to recognize federal holidays. The following are some
examples that may be of assistance in preparing such statements:
• Representative Tom Cole, “A Season of Thankfulness,” column on
Representative Cole’s website (November 21, 2022)
• Representative Steve Cohen, “Congressman Cohen Wishes All a Safe
Thanksgiving,” press release on Representative Cohen’s website (November 24,
2021)
• Senator Shelley Capito, “Thanksgiving,” remarks in the Senate, Congressional
Record (November 18, 2020)
• Representative Abigail Spanberger, “Statement Ahead of Thanksgiving Day,”
press release on Representative Spanberger’s website (November 27, 2019)
• Senator John Thune, “Thanksgiving,” remarks in the Senate, Congressional
Record (November 21, 2019)
• Senator Deb Fischer, “Tradition and Gratitude,” column on Senator Fischer’s
website (November 19, 2018)
Presidential Proclamations
One of the uses of a presidential proclamation is to honor a group or call attention to certain
issues or events. Proclamations commemorating Thanksgiving include the following:
• Presidential Proclamations—President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (2021-)
• Presidential Proclamations—President Donald J. Trump (2017-2021)
• Presidential Proclamations—President Barack H. Obama (2009-2017)
• Presidential Proclamations—President George W. Bush (2001-2009)
Congressional Research Service
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Thanksgiving: Fact Sheet
Earlier presidential proclamations are available through the Government Publishing Office (GPO)
website at govinfo.gov.
Thanksgiving Day Resources
Numerous government resources provide information on the history and culture of the holiday.
Some of these include the following:
• Thanksgiving, Library of Congress
• Thanksgiving Primary Source Set, Teacher’s Guide, Library of Congress
• Thanksgiving Day, Department of State
• Thanksgiving, National Archives News, National Archives and Records
Administration
• Congress Establishes Thanksgiving, National Archives and Records
Administration, Center for Legislative Archives
• Thanksgiving in North America: From Local Harvests to National Holiday,
Smithsonian Institution
• Lincoln and Thanksgiving, National Park Service.
Author Information
Audrey Celeste Crane-Hirsch
Reference Librarian
Congressional Research Service
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Thanksgiving: Fact Sheet
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan
shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and
under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other
than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in
connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not
subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in
its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or
material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you wish to
copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
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