[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 230 (Wednesday, December 1, 2010)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 74605-74606]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-30299]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 230 / Wednesday, December 1, 2010 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 74605]]

                Proclamation 8606 of November 23, 2010

                
Thanksgiving Day, 2010

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                A beloved American tradition, Thanksgiving Day offers 
                us the opportunity to focus our thoughts on the grace 
                that has been extended to our people and our country. 
                This spirit brought together the newly arrived Pilgrims 
                and the Wampanoag tribe--who had been living and 
                thriving around Plymouth, Massachusetts for thousands 
                of years--in an autumn harvest feast centuries ago. 
                This Thanksgiving Day, we reflect on the compassion and 
                contributions of Native Americans, whose skill in 
                agriculture helped the early colonists survive, and 
                whose rich culture continues to add to our Nation's 
                heritage. We also pause our normal pursuits on this day 
                and join in a spirit of fellowship and gratitude for 
                the year's bounties and blessings.

                Thanksgiving Day is a time each year, dating back to 
                our founding, when we lay aside the troubles and 
                disagreements of the day and bow our heads in humble 
                recognition of the providence bestowed upon our Nation. 
                Amidst the uncertainty of a fledgling experiment in 
                democracy, President George Washington declared the 
                first Thanksgiving in America, recounting the blessings 
                of tranquility, union, and plenty that shined upon our 
                young country. In the dark days of the Civil War when 
                the fate of our Union was in doubt, President Abraham 
                Lincoln proclaimed a Thanksgiving Day, calling for 
                ``the Almighty hand'' to heal and restore our Nation.

                In confronting the challenges of our day, we must draw 
                strength from the resolve of previous generations who 
                faced their own struggles and take comfort in knowing a 
                brighter day has always dawned on our great land. As we 
                stand at the close of one year and look to the promise 
                of the next, we lift up our hearts in gratitude to God 
                for our many blessings, for one another, and for our 
                Nation. This Thanksgiving Day, we remember that the 
                freedoms and security we enjoy as Americans are 
                protected by the brave men and women of the United 
                States Armed Forces. These patriots are willing to lay 
                down their lives in our defense, and they and their 
                families deserve our profound gratitude for their 
                service and sacrifice.

                This harvest season, we are also reminded of those 
                experiencing the pangs of hunger or the hardship of 
                economic insecurity. Let us return the kindness and 
                generosity we have seen throughout the year by helping 
                our fellow citizens weather the storms of our day.

                As Americans gather for the time-honored Thanksgiving 
                Day meal, let us rejoice in the abundance that graces 
                our tables, in the simple gifts that mark our days, in 
                the loved ones who enrich our lives, and in the gifts 
                of a gracious God. Let us recall that our forebears met 
                their challenges with hope and an unfailing spirit, and 
                let us resolve to do the same.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the 
                United States of America, by virtue of the authority 
                vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the 
                United States, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 
                25, 2010, as a National Day of Thanksgiving. I 
                encourage all the people of the United States to come 
                together--whether in our homes, places of worship, 
                community centers, or any place of fellowship for 
                friends and neighbors--to give thanks for all we have 
                received in the past year, to

[[Page 74606]]

                express appreciation to those whose lives enrich our 
                own, and to share our bounty with others.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                twenty-third day of November, in the year of our Lord 
                two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United 
                States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2010-30299
Filed 11-30-10; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-W1-P