Thanksgiving: A History Through Food

By Joyce White, Food Historian and Hammond-Harwood House Trustee.

This presentation explores the political, social, economic, and cultural traditions that have made Thanksgiving the truly American holiday that it is. Learn how Thanksgiving has transformed itself over time from the celebration of Harvest Home, as it was called in 1621 by the settlers at Plimoth Plantation, and been influenced by such prominent figures in American history as George Washington, women’s magazine editor Sarah Josepha Hale, and Franklin D. Roosevelt. You’ll learn that not only have the reasons we celebrate Thanksgiving changed over time, but so has the food!