Presidents Unplugged

Pilgrims, Pardons, and Progress; A Very Presidential Thanksgiving

Ty Svenson Season 2 Episode 12

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0:00 | 19:35

This Thanksgiving special follows the holiday’s journey from the Pilgrims’ earliest expressions of gratitude to the way it evolved into a national moment of unity. It highlights how, even in times of deep division, from Washington’s era to Lincoln’s Civil War proclamation, the holiday kept reemerging as a symbol of hope and progress. The episode also tells the story of the young girl who wrote to Abraham Lincoln, urging him to make Thanksgiving a national tradition, proving that even small voices can help bring people together. Finally, it explores FDR’s controversial date change as a reminder that Thanksgiving has always been shaped by disagreement, yet ultimately grounded in the pursuit of unity.

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