Region and Nation

Thanksgiving today is felt to be universally observed across the landscape of the United States--a truly national holiday. It has not always been so. The modern holiday has strong historical associations with New England, and appears not to have sunk deep roots in the culture of the mainland South until the early 20th century. In the Caribbean parts of the South Atlantic region, Thanksgiving was also a comparatively recent arrival (Puerto Rico's association with the United States began in 1898, and that of the US Virgin Islands in 1917). This section of our Web site, explores the regional dimensions and identity of the Thanksgiving holiday.

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"We are not in favor of the Puritanic custom..."
The Episcopal Church observance of Thanskgiving in Richmond, Virginia in 1860 prompted the following comment from the Richmond Daily Dispatch for Nov. 2 of that year. The editorialist's direct, and rather negative, associations of Thanksgiving with a region (New England, or the "Yankee" North more generally) and with a cultural-religious tradition (that of Puritanism) do not prevent him from finding some saving graces in the occasion.

We are not in favor of the Puritanic custom of appointing a day of Thanksgiving, by the proclamation of the Governor; for, however excellent its purpose may be, there is nothing virtuous in its observance. In the land of the Yankees, whence the custom sprung, it is a day of gormandizing and frolicking, utterly at variance with all thoughts of gratitude for blessings bestowed. Still, there is something pleasing in the idea of the assembling of a congregation of people, uninfluenced by an Executive mandate, to return thanks for the various mercies which have caused the plants to grow in beauty, matured the grain and crowned all with a kindly harvest. When the well-filled barns of the husbandman bespeak his thrift, and plenty smiles abroad, it is surely a proper time for those who participate in the general bounty to make their gratitude manifest. Yesterday was thus observed by the Episcopal Church in this city. Divine service was held at St. James' Church, and an appropriate sermon delivered by the assistant rector, the Rev. Mr. Deshiel. We devoutly hope that the clouds impending over this fair Republic may disappear, and that to the end of time her inhabitants may have cause for true thanksgiving in the reign of peace, plenty and prosperity.

"An occasion of uproarious mirth..."
Observance of the first Thanksgiving Day following the Civil War was reported in the pages of the Richmond Daily Dispatch for December 9, 1865. The report is mixed, noting with apparent approval that virtually all business was closed and that church services were held, but also pointing out that church attendance was spotty and that a "sacred festival" was observed in less than pious ways.

The day of National Thanksgiving, appointed by a proclamation of President Johnson, for having been relieved from "the scourge of civil war," and permitted to enjoy the blessings attendant thereupon, was generally observed in this city. Almost every kind of business was suspended, and the several churches were open for divine worship. The sentiments of the sermons delivered were highly acceptable to the congregations, which, indeed, were not so numerous as they should have been. Many hunting parties left the city at an early Hour to create havoc among the wild game in the country adjacent. The truth is, a thanksgiving day is generally given over to frolic and fun, like Christmas, which, though a sacred festival, is most always made an occasion of uproarious mirth, with the usual accompaniments of egg nogg and pop crackers.

Thanksgiving in the South: A View from Charleston
The New York Times for Nov. 10, 1892 reprinted the following story from the Charleston News. The perspective on Thanksgiving's regional identity contained in the story is quite interesting, as is its way of distinguishing Thanskgiving from Christmas, quite differently from how most people would tend to do so today.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, it is a pity that it is not more generally observed at the South than it is. We excuse ourselves by saying that Christmas takes its place, but it does not; the associations of that day are--or should be--of a more spiritual nature than gratitude for the supply of our temporal wants during the year. Of course there are church services--very slimly attended--and it is a legal holiday, so that business is generally suspended. We might take a hint from the Puritan custom of making it a day of family reunions without doing much violence to the memory of our Cavalier ancestors. A few congregations have of late years converted it into a kind of harvest home festival, decorating their churches with grain and fruit, the latter being afterward distributed to those to whom it is a luxury.