Celebrating Thanksgiving with the Original Proclamation

On October 3, 1789, President George Washington issued a proclamation declaring Thursday, November 26, 1789, be set aside as a day of public thanksgiving by the people of the United States. You can see an image of Washington's original letter which contained this first Thanksgiving Proclamation (and read a transcription of this proclamation) by visiting the Papers of George Washington project website maintained by the University of Virginia's Alderman Library.

Thanks to Ernster the Virtual Library Cat of Hofstra's Deane Law Library for pointing the way.