A tradition of Thanksgiving that most people think has been around forever is the Presidential pardon of a Thanksgiving turkey. But this tradition hasn't been around forever.
Some people know the story of supposedly how President Harry Truman in 1947 pardoned the first turkey. And then some others will argue and say that President Lincoln pardoned his son's turkey in 1863, and that's really the first. Actually, those are both wrong. There is no proof that Lincoln pardoned his son's turkey, and many just throw that story in with the many more about "good ol' honest Abe" and his many stories of lore. As for Truman, there is no evidence that he pardoned a turkey in 1947. In fact, the turkey that was sent to the White House in 1947 was on December 15, a little late for Thanksgiving. It was actually a Christmas turkey, and no one can prove that any bird presented to the White House was spared.
The first use of the word pardon and turkey was actually in 1963. President Kennedy was presented with a turkey on November 18, and he said that he did not plan on eating it. He never used the word pardon, but the press did, and on the following day, it was all over the news that Kennedy had pardoned the Thanksgiving turkey.
The first useage of the term pardon from a President came from Ronald Reagan in 1987. Reporters and journalists were asking him about the Iran-Contra affair, and Reagan was trying to put off any real answer by joking with the reporters and journalists. When asked if he would pardon Oliver North and John Poindexter, he joked about pardoning the turkey.
The actual first pardon of a turkey, believe it or not, came from President George H. W. Bush in 1989. When presented with the turkey for the First Family's table, Bush Sr. said: "...Let me assure you - and this fine tom turkey - that he will not end up on anyone's dinner table. Not this guy. He's been granted a presidential pardon as of right now, allowing him to live out his days on a farm not far from here." In his following Thanksgivings, Bush Sr. continued to pardon a turkey, therefore establishing the tradition.
One more note about pardoned turkeys: they go on to live on farms or petting zoos. However, most of them do not live more than a year after being pardoned. Commercially-raised turkeys grow fast and become too large to support their weight, which make them easy targets for disease.
Bet you didn't know that!
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