Capitol Recap: What’s going on in Washington

By Mark Alford

As we gather around our tables this week, it’s worth remembering that Thanksgiving is more than a holiday; it’s a story. A story of perseverance, unity, and one woman who believed gratitude could help heal a divided nation.

Most Americans have never heard the name Sarah Josepha Hale, but she’s often called the Mother of Thanksgiving. She wasn’t a president or a public official. She was a writer and editor, best known for “Mary Had a Little Lamb”, who spent decades pushing for a national Thanksgiving holiday.

Before the United States was even a country, small communities—mostly in New England—held local days of thanksgiving. But there was no national date, no shared celebration, and no unifying moment of gratitude for the young nation. As America drew closer to the Civil War, Hale believed a permanent Thanksgiving could bring people together. So she launched a remarkable, one-woman campaign. She wrote hundreds of letters to governors, civic leaders, and five different presidents, urging them to adopt a national day of thanks.

Year after year, she pressed on, convinced that gratitude could be a stabilizing force in turbulent times. Finally, in the middle of the Civil War—on October 3, 1863—President Abraham Lincoln agreed. He issued the first national Thanksgiving proclamation, calling Americans to pause and give thanks to God, even as the nation was at war with itself.

Since then, Thanksgiving has been celebrated every year at the end of November. That history matters. It teaches us that thanksgiving isn’t just a tradition—it’s an act of faith.

The Pilgrims gave thanks after immense loss. Hale fought for unity in a divided land. Lincoln offered gratitude in the darkest chapter of our nation’s story. Time and again, gratitude has grounded America when times were tough.

Today, our nation faces its own challenges. But the message of Thanksgiving remains the same: a thankful heart can steady a weary nation. As you gather with loved ones this week, I encourage you to pause and reflect on the blessings God has given us.

Give thanks for His unfailing love. Give thanks for the freedoms we cherish. And give thanks for the hardworking men and women who keep our communities and our country strong.

From my family to yours: may your Thanksgiving be filled with peace, gratitude, and the goodness only God can provide.

God bless Missouri, and God bless America!