Thanksgiving

November 27, 2008

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Profile America — Thursday, November 27th. This is Thanksgiving Day, one of the most traditional of American holidays, usually traced to 1621 in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The holiday became national in scope in 1863 and the fourth Thursday of the month has been the official day since 1941. It’s a time which combines solemnity and joy — a time for family gatherings and the sharing of a special meal, typically turkey with all the trimmings. Each year, U.S. farmers raise more than 270 million turkeys, with Minnesota and North Carolina the leading states. North Carolina is also the leading producer of sweet potatoes. And among states growing cranberries, Wisconsin harvests twice as much as the next state, Massachusetts. The men and women of the U.S. Census Bureau wish you and your loved ones a peaceful Thanksgiving.

Sources: Chase's Calendar of Events 2008, p. 572
U.S. Census Bureau, Facts for Features, CB08.FF-20
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/012692.html