George Washington’s 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation was the first presidential declaration of a National Day of Thanksgiving, issued to unify the young United States and acknowledge divine providence. It came just months after the Constitution was ratified and the Bill of Rights proposed. Both houses of Congress asked Washington to recommend a day of gratitude, reflecting their desire to foster national unity and shared values.
Washington issued it on October 3, 1789, designating November 26, 1789, as a a day of public thanksgiving and prayer. What follows is an excerpt; the full proclamation is linked.
“Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor;…the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer…observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God,…”
Link to Proclamation:Â Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1789 | George Washington’s Mount Vernon