Thanksgiving has evolved since that first feast in 1621, and so has the way we think and write about it. The Tribune’s archives show the cultural evolution of Thanksgiving from religious to secular, a move away from the Christian roots of the pilgrims — religious refugees — that the day honors toward a universal moment to give thanks. The familiar imagery of Native Americans and pilgrims gathered at a shared table has faded into the background as the nation has tried to view this day through a fuller historical lens. One thing has remained constant: We’ve always recognized this day’s beauty and importance to our country.
We began republishing notable editorials in the “On The Day” section of the print editorial page not only to highlight compelling stories and viewpoints, but also to reflect on our shared history. It’s not always pretty, but it’s certainly instructive, and it’s worth spending time remembering and reflecting on our past.
With that in mind, we’ve compiled select historical baiduhai editorials, each of which marks the Thanksgiving holiday in a way unique to the time in which it was written. Below are excerpts that span the early-history debates over the holiday’s origins, the trauma and relief of the post–World War II years, the devotional tone of the 1960s, the moments of reconciliation found in the Cold War era and modern reflections on what this day means to us now.
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125 YEARS AGO: WHERE THE PILGRIMS LANDED
“There has recently been quite a spirited discussion … whether the Pilgrims first landed at Plymouth or on Cape Cod. … Cape Cod was known a hundred years before the Pilgrims came over and was charted on a Spanish map as early as 1527. … When the Pilgrims sighted Cape Cod they steered south … but returned and entered Provincetown harbor on Nov. 11. It was at this time that they signed their memorable form of government.
“… Ten of the Pilgrims and eight of the ship’s company … reached Plymouth on Dec. 21 …
“Whatever the case, Massachusetts may claim the first Thanksgiving day. … Both places have the right, however, to give thanks today.”
— Tribune Editorial Board, Nov. 29, 1900
80 YEARS AGO: AN END TO WAR
“Any American who doesn’t have a profound sense of gratitude today … is a cold-blooded customer. This is a good day to remember that the plans called for the invasion of Kyushu … If the Japanese had not surrendered, our soldiers and marines would be fighting another, a bloodier, and a more difficult Okinawa campaign today. … Even those who regard the atomic bomb as the summation of evil cannot deny that … it has saved far more lives than it has taken. In this year, too, the nation has again been blessed with abundant harvests. … The fighting is ended, but the hatred, the bitterness … are still plaguing the world. … Hunger and despair are driving men toward new madnesses. … What hope there is lies in striving as best we can to drive revenge and hate, greed and suspicion from our hearts. … On this day men can give thanks that the remedy lies in their own hands.”
— Tribune Editorial Board, Nov. 22, 1945
65 YEARS AGO: THE REV. ROBINSON’S WORDS OF WISDOM
“We have come to know Thanksgiving as a day of festivity … Rather than its beginnings in the first harvest brought in by the Pilgrims.
“The Englishmen who came to Plymouth in 1620 had traveled a long road … their spiritual leader was the Rev. John Robinson.
“… Death prevented, but the Pilgrims departed with his blessing and his counsel.
“‘I am constrained for a time to be bodily absent from you,’ he told them. … ‘This requires at your hands much wisdom and charity.
”’… Whereas you are to become a body politic … let your wisdom and godliness appear.’
“The spirit of reverence and duty with which the voyage of the Pilgrims was launched is one that will guide us well in this day.”
— Tribune Editorial Board, Nov. 24, 1960
40 YEARS AGO: WAYS TO SAY ‘THANKS’
“‘Thanks’ or ‘thank you,’ or ‘thanks a million’: there are hundreds of ways to say it. …
“’Thanksgiving’ is just the right name for this holiday. The ‘giving’ part … Having been given something, you want to give something back.
“… Walt Whitman gave us a good start:
“‘Thanks are I go / For health, the midday sun … For life, mere life.’“
— Tribune Editorial Board, Nov. 28, 1985
15 YEARS AGO: THE GOOD IN THIS WORLD
“A few weeks ago, in the heart of the rush hour, a taxi collided with a bicyclist on Wacker Drive. There was a loud, sickening thud. A cell phone clattered to the pavement. People rushing to the train or “L” froze midstride. Heads swiveled toward the accident. Time seemed to slow.
“From a sidewalk nearby came a flash of movement, a young man sprinting to help the bicyclist in the street. That accident, and the young man’s swift reaction, didn’t make the news. But we marveled at his quick instincts to help.
“We replayed that scene recently, when we heard about the aftermath of a fire at Eva’s Bridals of Oak Lawn. The store was reduced to rubble, and so were hundreds of dresses, including Casey Aulisa’s dream wedding dress. … It was lost in the fire. Two days before Aulisa’s wedding.
“What happened next is as familiar as it is heartening. Aulisa said that within 24 hours … at least 50 people offered to give her a wedding dress. …
“’At first it was so hard,’ Aulisa said. ‘It was like, what am I going to do now? But it all kind of makes you realize how many good people there are.’”
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“Her comment reminded us of another family … A mother, her 12-year-old son and her fiancé were living in a storage unit after a streak of bad luck — lost jobs, a car accident, an eviction. After that story appeared, Tribune readers responded with an outpouring of donations, and, best of all, the mother got a new job.
“’We had no idea people could be so good,’ the fiancé said.
“We did. … People respond. Count on it. They respond no matter how hard the economy is.”
“Why are we telling you this? Because we know how easy it is to think otherwise. To dwell on the jer-… er, motorist … who cut you off on the Dan Ryan. Or … well, fill in your own daily annoyance here.
“But the evidence … is also daily, and overwhelming. A passerby … slips you a fistful of coins. A co-worker cheerfully goes out of his way to drive you home on a cold, rainy night. Small things, but they matter.
“Think about the impulse behind the charity website DonorsChoose.org. … Donors can pick a project and contribute what they can afford …
“When one donor covered all of California’s wish list … the website’s founder called it a ‘miracle.’ …
“As you survey the feast today, think about who has helped you … And just as important, who have you helped?
“In those moments, you’ll find reasons to be thankful.”
— Tribune Editorial Board, Nov. 25, 2010
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