Perseverance pays off

I’m always thankful for the tenacity of the strong women who surround me. Their positive action energises me to keep moving forward. I’m also inspired by women from history, so as my friends and colleagues in the US gather for Thanksgiving, I was interested to read about a woman who became known as the ‘Mother of Thanksgiving’ because of her decades-long campaign to make the celebration a national holiday.

Sarah Josepha Hale (1788 - 1879) was an influential American writer, editor, and activist. She was the editor of one of the most prominent women’s magazines in the US, through which she advocated for various social causes, including women’s education. She also wrote the famous Mary Had a Little Lamb nursery rhyme.?????

In the early 1800s, Thanksgiving was celebrated sporadically and only in certain states, particularly New England. Hale believed that a national day of gratitude would unite the country and provide an opportunity to express thanks for blessings. And so she launched a relentless letter-writing campaign, urging politicians to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. When they ignored her, she rallied the public through articles in her magazine.??

Her persistence worked.? Cities and states began setting aside days for Thanksgiving, but Sarah wasn’t satisfied – she wanted Thanksgiving to be a national holiday, uniting the whole country.?

For 38 years, she faced rejection after rejection - from Presidents Taylor, Fillmore, Pierce, and Buchanan. Sarah didn’t quit.?

During the Civil War, she tried again. She wrote to President Abraham Lincoln, arguing that a divided nation needed a unifying moment of gratitude. This time, the President agreed, and in 1863 issued a proclamation designating the last Thursday of November as a national Thanksgiving Day.?

Sarah’s persistence proved that positive change takes time, but belief and determination can move mountains.?My takeaway from Sarah’s story is that gratitude has the power to unite - and persistence can make history.

Happy Thanksgiving to friends and colleagues!?

Natalie - EM Development Director

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