Forget turkey and cheerful Pilgrim hats; the history of Thanksgiving is a painful prelude to conflict through the violent colonization of Native Americans following the original 1621 feast. Still, many Americans celebrate the holiday each year without knowing its roots, a phenomenon stemming from its modern adaptations that emphasize the freedom and values we are privileged to have in America. This contrast ultimately raises the question: should Thanksgiving be so widely celebrated in light of its past?
For most Americans, the idea of Thanksgiving centers on the positive tradition of gathering with loved ones who may only be seen once a year. This emphasis on connection is scientifically validated: a 2022 article from the American Psychological Association (APA) confirms that quality family time offers measurable mental health benefits, including improved mood, lowered stress and stronger social bonds.
These connections, forged by people over generations, helped shape America’s cultural values. For example, in 1863, Abraham Lincoln formally established Thanksgiving, proclaiming it a day of “gratitude and healing” to help unite the divided country during the Civil war, according to the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Thanksgiving’s meaning can absolutely change with the times.
Just as Thanksgiving can evolve, it can be celebrated in many different ways: there is not one “correct” way. For many Indigenous communities, Thanksgiving is a time to honor their own traditions of giving thanks that long predate 1621, as reported by The Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian.
In this way, the traditional Thanksgiving meal can coexist with other cultural dishes like “succotash” (a boiled mix of corn kernels and beans) or “wojapi” (a thick pudding made from wild berries), reflecting how the United States truly is one giant melting pot of cultures.
However, critics may argue that the celebration is irreparably flawed because the familiar story of Pilgrims and Native people “peacefully” sharing a meal is considered a myth that obscures the genocide that followed, such as the Pequot Massacre of 1637. For many Native Americans, the fourth Thursday of November is therefore reserved as the National Day of Mourning, a direct challenge to Thanksgiving’s universal claim of gratitude.
While considering this, my solution is not to abolish the day but to radically redefine it. The holiday’s value lies not in the idealized tale of 1621, but in what it can be repurposed to represent: a national day of reflection and appreciation for others. By incorporating these ideals, Thanksgiving can and should be commemorated.
