| In light of Thanksgiving last Thursday, this week’s curation at RealClear’s American Civics portal focuses on the meaning of that holiday in the American experience. A trio of articles at History.com give much-needed historical background to our modern celebration of Thanksgiving. They cover the history of Thanksgiving at Plymouth Colony, when English settlers and the members of the Wampanoag celebrated what is commonly considered the first Thanksgiving in Nov. of 1621; what the settlers and the Wampanoag ate on the first Thanksgiving; and the peace treaty the settlers signed with the Wampanoag in March of 1621, which made the celebration of a bountiful harvest later that year possible. In the latest episode of the American Story podcast, Chris Flannery highlights Sarah Josepha Hale. Born in New Hampshire in 1788, Hale composed the poem popularly known as “Mary Had a Little Lamb” and also helped to move Thanksgiving from a loose series of local celebrations to a national holiday. At Planned Man, Guy Shepherd gives thanks for the new movie King Richard, which tells the story of Richard Williams, the father and coach of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams. He makes the case that King Richard exemplifies the virtues of Thanksgiving, the “day when we are expected to suspend our tribal tendencies for ‘othering’ – the denigration and demonization of those who are different—and celebrate what we share with others.” Shepherd argues, “What Braveheart is to freedom, King Richard is to fatherhood. And as a movie on the virtue of sports and competition and its power to overcome racial adversity, King Richard is right up there with Brian’s Song.” In the Delaware Gazette, Harold B. Wolford outlines the history of Thanksgiving, noting George Washington’s role in creating the holiday we know today. Washington issued the first presidential Thanksgiving proclamation on Oct. 3, 1789, which called “the People of the United States” to hold “a day of public thanks-giving” on “Thursday the 26th day of November.” Although later presidents neglected the practice of issuing regular Thanksgiving proclamations, Abraham Lincoln resumed the storied tradition when he issued one in the midst of the Civil War in 1863. Essential Reading Jenna Silber Storey, American Enterprise Institute Bottom Line: Professor Jenna Silber Storey argues that liberal education rightly understood can help students choose well among... In the News Eric Patterson, WORLD Peter Wood, The Federalist Joshua Zeitz, Politico Frank Hill, North State Journal Joseph Wysocki, Washington Times Adam M. Carrington, Newsweek Greg Weiner, Law & Liberty R.J. Snell, Public Discourse Guy Shepherd, Planned Man Howard Tazman, RealClearHistory Sarah Pruitt, History.com C. Bradley Thompson, Substack Glenn Moots, National Interest Andrew Chew, RealClearPolicy David Diener & Angel Parham, Heterodox Academy Larry Arnn, Hillsdale College Hillsdale College President, Larry P. Arnn explains the meaning of gratitude. Chris Flannery, American Story Sarah Josepha Hale was born in New Hampshire in 1788. In an era when the average American life expectancy was forty... Mary Patterson, Kirk Higgins, & Tony Williams, Bill of Rights Institute How much of the Pilgrims' story is a myth, and what exactly is important to remember about the meal they shared with Native... Linda Chavez & John Agresto, Jack Miller Center John Agresto, former president of St. Johns College and JMC Board Member, interviews Linda Chavez, Chair of the Center for Equal Opportunity, on "Immigration and What It Means to Be an Yascha Mounk, Marc Thiessen, & Danelle Pletka, AEI Critical race theory has transformed from a once-obscure academic concept to an issue at the forefront of America’s political discourse. Kathleen O'Toole & Jordan Adams, Hillsdale College Inside the Hillsdale 1776 Curriculum | Hosts: Katy O’Toole, Jordan Adams | Scope: Explain what the curriculum is, its origins, its principles, and how it can make a difference in America | Attendees: Michael Warren, Patriot Lessons Learn how the Preamble of the Constitution was drafted by Gouverneur Morris almost as an afterthought - and why the words... Carl Cannon's Great American Stories Although we rely on a different calendar than was in use in the 17th century (so it's not exact), on ... For baby boomers and their parents, today's date is etched painfully in the national consciousness. This is less true today, ... Although he'd served almost three years in office, John F. Kennedy was only 46 on Nov. 19, 1963, and the ... | 
