Sarah Josepha Hale is known as the "Mother of Thanksgiving." It's a well-deserved nickname. In 1846, Sarah, who became famous in part for creating the nursery rhyme "Mary Had a Little Lamb," began lobbying U.S. politicians to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. Advocating consistently and passionately for nearly two decades, Sarah saw her efforts come to fruition when President Abraham Lincoln made the official declaration in 1863 amidst the Civil War years, hoping to do as Sarah believed would happen - help bring a divided nation closer together.
Born in 1788 in Newport, New Hampshire, Sarah grew up in a family that valued education and moral conviction. Her father, a Revolutionary War veteran, and particularly her mother encouraged Sarah's intellectual curiosity. As Sarah would later say about her mother's impact,
"I owe my early predilection for literary pursuits to the teachings and example of my mother. She had enjoyed uncommon advantages of education for a female of her times, possessed a mind clear as rock water, and had a most happy talent of communicating knowledge. She had read many of the old black letter chronicles ... and innumerable were the ballads, songs and stories with which she amused and instructed her children."
Sarah's upbringing instilled a lifelong commitment to education, self-improvement, and the belief that women could and should contribute meaningfully to society. These convictions became even more pronounced after tragedy struck in 1822 when Sarah's husband passed away suddenly, leaving her a widow with five young children. Sarah turned to her pen to support her family.
Sarah's first major literary success came in 1827 with the publication of Northwood: A Tale of New England. A thoughtful exploration of life in rural New England, the novel also contained a bold critique of slavery, making Sarah one of the first American writers to address the issue in fiction. The book's success earned her an offer to become editor of Ladies' Magazine in Boston.
Sarah embraced the opportunity, and under her guidance, Ladies' Magazine became a platform for advocating women's education and societal influence. When the magazine merged with Godey's Lady's Book in 1837, Sarah continued as editor, shaping it into the most widely read women's publication of the 19th century, championing issues from women's rights to preserving historical landmarks, and of course, establishment of a national day of Thanksgiving.
While Sarah is remembered for her literary contributions, arguably her most enduring achievement remains her campaign to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. At the time, Thanksgiving was celebrated sporadically and at different times across the states. Sarah believed a unified day of gratitude could help foster a sense of shared purpose and national identity. She wrote governors, legislators, and five U.S. presidents, arguing for its adoption. And she argued for it in her editorials, writing in one from 1861, "What could do more to arouse and preserve the fraternal feelings which should exist." It was a vision that resonated deeply during the Civil War time.
When President Lincoln issued his Thanksgiving proclamation in 1863, Sarah's nearly two decades of persistence bore fruit. The following year, she wrote in an editorial,
"Who can estimate the benefits and blessings which may flow from the faithful observance of this happy Festival? For one day the strife of parties will be hushed, the cares of business will be put aside, and all hearts will join in common emotions of gratitude and goodwill. We may even hope that for one day war itself will cease by common consent, as was the custom in the Middle Ages during the solemn church Festival known as the "Truce of God;" and it is not impossible that sentiments may then be awakened which will aid in bringing on that return of true union and peace which is so earnestly desired."
Sarah would continue writing and advocating for social progress. She passed away in 1879.
Sources:
Finley, Mrs. Ruth. The lady of Godey's Sarah Josepha Hale. United Kingdom, J.B. Lippincott Company, 1938.
Norwood, Arlisha. "Sarah Hale." National Women's History Museum. 2017. www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/sarah-hale.
Straus, Doris. “Fashion, The High Life, and ‘The Duties of Married Females’: 19th Century Fashion-Plate Magazines.” New York Public Library, https://www.nypl.org/blog/2014/09/25/19th-century-fashion-plate-magazines
“The Thanksgiving editorials of Sarah Josepha Hale from the pages of Godey's Lady's book.” Pilgrim Hall Museum, https://www.pilgrimhall.org/pdf/SJH_Editorials.pdf
Wikimedia Commons, Wikimedia Foundation, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sarah_Hale_portrait.jpg
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