[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 125, 112th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 8755 of November 16, 2011

Thanksgiving Day, 2011
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
One of our Nation's oldest and most cherished traditions, Thanksgiving
Day brings us closer to our loved ones and invites us to reflect on the
blessings that enrich our lives. The observance recalls the celebration
of an autumn harvest centuries ago, when the Wampanoag tribe joined the
Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony to share in the fruits of a bountiful
season. The feast honored the Wampanoag for generously extending their
knowledge of local game and agriculture to the Pilgrims, and today we
renew our gratitude to all American Indians and Alaska Natives. We take
this time to remember the ways that the First Americans have enriched
our Nation's heritage, from their generosity centuries ago to the
everyday contributions they make to all facets of American life. As we
come together with friends, family, and neighbors to cele

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brate, let us set aside our daily concerns and give thanks for the
providence bestowed upon us.
Though our traditions have evolved, the spirit of grace and humility at
the heart of Thanksgiving has persisted through every chapter of our
story. When President George Washington proclaimed our country's first
Thanksgiving, he praised a generous and knowing God for shepherding our
young Republic through its uncertain beginnings. Decades later,
President Abraham Lincoln looked to the divine to protect those who had
known the worst of civil war, and to restore the Nation ``to the full
enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.''
In times of adversity and times of plenty, we have lifted our hearts by
giving humble thanks for the blessings we have received and for those
who bring meaning to our lives. Today, let us offer gratitude to our men
and women in uniform for their many sacrifices, and keep in our thoughts
the families who save an empty seat at the table for a loved one
stationed in harm's way. And as members of our American family make do
with less, let us rededicate ourselves to our friends and fellow
citizens in need of a helping hand.
As we gather in our communities and in our homes, around the table or
near the hearth, we give thanks to each other and to God for the many
kindnesses and comforts that grace our lives. Let us pause to recount
the simple gifts that sustain us, and resolve to pay them forward in the
year to come.
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 24,
2011, as a National Day of Thanksgiving. I encourage 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
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 sixteenth day of
November, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
sixth.
BARACK OBAMA