FLOSSI, THANKSGIVING & MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB

Sarah Hale used her persuasive writings to support the creation of Thanksgiving as a national holiday. Beginning in 1846, she charged the president and other leading politicians to push for the national celebration of Thanksgiving, which was then only celebrated in the Northeast. Her requests for recognition were largely ignored by politicians until 1863. While the nation was in the Civil War, President Lincoln signed into action “A National Day of Thanksgiving and Praise.” Hale’s letter to Lincoln is often cited as the main factor in his decision. 

Sarah Josepha Hale was born in Newport, New Hampshire, on October 24th, 1788. 

She turned to poetry as a form of income. Her most famous book, Poems for Our Children, included a beloved story from her childhood: “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” which became a popular nursery rhyme.

In 1837, she became the  Godey’s Lady’s Book editor. Her work with the magazine made her one of the most influential voices in the 19th century. Her columns covered everything from women’s education to child-rearing.