The EastCoaster

By: Christina Silvestri

Let’s face it, turkey is never the dish people are most excited to dive into on Thanksgiving. It’s always the more flavorful sides like mac and cheese, stuffing, and yams that steal the show. I remember one Thanksgiving as a kid, I only ate mashed potatoes and apple sauce all day. If this is the case, then why is the turkey (which becomes so dry and bland) the center of every American Thanksgiving meal?

Looking back to the first Thanksgiving, over 400 years ago, it is likely that the pilgrims and indigenous people of the Wampanoag tribe did not bond over a crispy Butterball turkey. According to Brittanica, the only reference to the first Thanksgiving meal within the 17th century is found in a letter written by Edward Winslow, a Plymouth colonist. Here, he made mention of corn, peas, herring, deer, and fowl. Now fowls could refer to a number of gamey birds native to Virginia. However, it is believed by historians that the centerpiece of the First Thanksgiving table was a duck or goose. 

Before we think about why we eat turkey, let’s understand why we celebrate Thanksgiving in the first place. Abraham Lincoln was the president to officially declare Thanksgiving a national holiday on October 3, 1863. Prior to this, the holiday was not widely celebrated the way it is today. President Lincoln felt that the holiday would bring comfort to the nation after the catastrophic Battle of Gettysburg, which took place only a few months prior. However, it was Sarah Josepha Hale that was the driving force behind the President’s proclamation. As stated by the National Park Service, in 1827 Hale served as the editor of Boston Ladies’ Magazine and began writing and publishing essays that explained the importance of having a national Thanksgiving. She wrote a novel the same year, Norwood: A Tale of New England, in which she also addressed the topic. In her description of a proper Thanksgiving, she wrote, “The roasted turkey took precedence on this occasion, being placed at the head of the table; and well it did become its lordly station.”After years of this work, Hale finally wrote to President Lincoln directly, urging him to bring the country together with this day of celebration. So this year when it’s your turn to tell your family what you are thankful for, make sure to think of Sarah Josepha Hale. 

In addition to Hale’s work, Britannica lists three explanations of how Americans went from serving fowl to the now classic, picturesque Norman Rockwell turkey dinner. Before they were the holiday staple, there were estimated to be about 10 million turkeys native to North America. This abundance made the bird easily accessible to people all over the nation. Additionally, turkeys were farmed solely for their meat, unlike chickens which people would rely on to produce eggs, and cows which would produce milk. Thirdly, turkeys are large enough to feed a whole family,  whereas, with other game birds, you would need two or three. 

Even now knowing the rich history behind the mascot of our beloved American holiday, I still do not reach for it. I will stick to the best part: the sides. Bring on the cranberry sauce!