From SCCLS –

Adults and children alike are invited to hear a first-hand account from President Abraham Lincoln himself about how our national, annual observance of the Thanksgiving holiday came to be established in the fall of 1863, in the midst of the Civil War. Mr. Lincoln tells how the influential writer and editor Sarah Josepha Hale, author of the nursery rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb”, tirelessly advocated for the establishment of such a day. He reads his 1863 Thanksgiving proclamation – which would be the first of an unending series of such presidential proclamations which has continued to our own day – and explains its words in the context of the Civil War and the nation’s history up to that point. He also shares a little bit about his own personal story. This program serves as a reminder that despite whatever difficulties we might be experiencing as a nation or as individuals, we can still find reasons for which to be thankful.

This program is most appropriate for adults and children six and up. Mr. Lincoln is portrayed by Kevin Wood, a professional Lincoln presenter who bears a remarkable resemblance to “the Great Emancipator” and who is extremely knowledgeable about his life and times. Mr. Wood has been portraying Mr. Lincoln since the year 2000, and on a professional basis since 2015. He has made over 1,750 appearances in 32 states plus Washington DC and two foreign countries: Canada and Spain.