This Day in History: , FDR Establishes
the Modern
Thanksgiving Holiday.
November 26, 1941.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt
signed a bill officially establishing
the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day.
In 1939, Roosevelt had departed from tradition
by declaring the next to last Thursday
that year as Thanksgiving Day.
The tradition dated back to President Abraham Lincoln,
who declared Thanksgiving to fall on
the last Thursday of November.
Franklin's deviation sparked
considerable controversy.
Some Americans refused
to honor the declaration.
But Roosevelt repeated
the unpopular proclamation
for the next two years.
In 1941, the president admitted his mistake and
signed the bill establishing the modern national
holiday of Thanksgiving Day