[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 130, 114th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9546 of November 23, 2016

Thanksgiving Day, 2016

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Nearly 400 years ago, a small band of Pilgrims fled persecution and
violence and came to this land as refugees in search of opportunity and
the freedom to practice their faith. Though the journey was rough and
their first winter harsh, the friendly embrace of an indigenous people,
the Wampanoag--who offered gracious lessons in agriculture and crop
production--led to their successful first harvest. The Pilgrims were
grateful they could rely on the generosity of the Wampanoag people,
without whom they would not have survived their first year in the new
land, and together they celebrated this bounty with a festival that
lasted for days and prompted the tradition of an annual day of giving
thanks.

This history teaches us that the American instinct has never been to
seek isolation in opposite corners; it is to find strength in our common
creed and forge unity from our great diversity. On that very first
thanksgiving celebration, these same ideals brought together people of
different backgrounds and beliefs, and every year since, with enduring
confidence in the power of faith, love, gratitude, and optimism, this
force of unity has sustained us as a people. It has guided us through
times of great challenge and change and allowed us to see ourselves in
those who come to our shores in search of a safer, better future for
themselves and their families.
On this holiday, we count our blessings and renew our commitment to
giving back. We give thanks for our troops and our veterans--and their
families--who give of themselves to protect the values we cherish; for
the first responders, teachers, and engaged Americans who serve their
communities; and for the chance to live in a country founded on the
belief that all of us are created equal. But on this day of gratitude,
we are also reminded that securing these freedoms and opportunities for
all our people is an unfinished task. We must reflect on all we have
been afforded while continuing the work of ensuring no one is left out
or left behind because of who they are or where they come from.
For generations, our Nation's progress has been carried forward by those
who act on the obligations we have to one another. Each year on
Thanksgiving, the selflessness and decency of the American people
surface in food banks and shelters across our country, in time spent
caring for the sick and the stranger, and in efforts to empathize with
those with whom we disagree and to recognize that every individual is
worthy of compassion and care. As we gather in the company of our
friends, families, and communities--just as the Pilgrims and the
Wampanoag did centuries ago--let us strive to lift up others, promote
tolerance and inclusiveness, and give thanks for the joy and love that
surround all of us.
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 November 24, 2016, as
a National Day of Thanksgiving. I encourage the peo

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ple of the United States to join together--whether in our homes, places
of worship, community centers, or any place of fellowship for friends
and neighbors--and give thanks for all we have received in the past
year, express appreciation to those whose lives enrich our own, and
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 sixteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
first.
BARACK OBAMA