The First Thanksgiving

The following post was first published in 2013:

Today is the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S. and it is generally believed that the first Thanksgiving feast took part between the Pilgrims and Native Americans in Massachusetts in 1621.  But as we first mentioned back in 2007, the first Thanksgiving really occurred in 1565 when Spanish explorers and Timuca natives in St. Augustine, Florida got together and dined on bean soup.

The following brief video via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette delves into the history behind the first Thanksgiving nearly 450 years ago:

Although Thanksgiving is not typically celebrated in Latin America, many Latinos in the U.S. do celebrate the holiday.  Some households modify the holiday and add traditional Latin American details such as feasting on tamales or (in the case of my family) serve yellow rice as one of the side dishes to the Thanksgiving turkey.

Video Source - The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via YouTube

Online Source - The Latin Americanist; Latino Post

"Food for Thought" Revisted

The following post was originally published on November 2012:

Today is the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S. and it is generally believed that the first Thanksgiving feast took part between the Pilgrims and native Americans in Massachusetts in 1621.  But as we first mentioned back in 2007, the first Thanksgiving really occurred in 1565 when Spanish explorers and Timuca natives in St. Augustine, Florida got together and dined on bean soup.

The following brief video via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette delves into the history behind the first Thanksgiving nearly 450 years ago:

Today's Video: Food for Thought

Today is the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S. and it is generally believed that the first Thanksgiving feast took part between the Pilgrims and native Americans in Massachusetts in 1621.  But as we first mentioned five years ago, the first Thanksgiving really occurred in 1565 when Spanish explorers and Timuca natives in St. Augustine, Florida got together and dined on bean soup.

The following brief video via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette delves into the history behind the first Thanksgiving nearly 450 years ago:
Video Source - YouTube via user PostGazetteNow

Online Source - The Latin Americanist

Today’s Video: Thanks

On a day of reflction that is Thanksgiving, Mercedes Sosa's touching version of "Gracias a la vida" ("Thanks to Life") is certainly worth listening to:

Video Source - YouTube user Soror

Thanksgiving revisited

Note: The following post first appeared on this blog on Thanksgiving Day, 2008.

There are numerous myths surrounding what is professed to be the first Thanksgiving holiday in 1621. For instance, the occasion was marked by three days of “drinking, gambling, athletic games, and even target shooting with English muskets” and the noshing of venison and cod.
There’s the belief, however, that the first Thanksgiving was not celebrated in New England but thousands of miles away in present-day Texas. No, I’m not joking:

Penny Colman uses this question as a premise for her book. The result is "Thanksgiving: The True Story," a collection of her research in very readable text augmented with charts, maps and pictures. Readers 8-14 will find much information for their own enjoyment and research.

Many debate where the first Thanksgiving took place.

For example, in 1598, a Spanish explorer, Juan de Onate, settled in present-day New Mexico. The account of the settlement's "thanksgiving" was recorded by poet Perez de Villagra in 1610. People in the area consider it the "first Thanksgiving." A re-enactment of Onate's settlement is held annually in San Elizario, Texas.

The Texas Society Daughters of American Colonists in Palo Duro Canon, Texas, declare their location as the "first." In Florida, both La Caroline and St. Augustine believe their cities were the earliest places of celebration.

Image- examiner.com ("Statue of Don Juan de Onate. flikr creative commons/advanced source productions")
Online Sources- Neatorama, Deseret News

Today’s Video: Thanksgiving

That’s all for today. To those who celebrate Thanksgiving, may you all have a festive holiday. To those that don’t, see you on Friday!

As a tribute to recently deceased animator Bill Melendez here’s the first part of “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving":

A million thanks to my fellow contributors whose insight and knowledge are invaluable. Many thanks to all of you who take the time to read our blog; we’re here to serve you.

Sources- The Latin Americanist, YouTube

The first Thanksgiving was "Tejano"?

There are numerous myths surrounding what is professed to be the first Thanksgiving holiday in 1621. For instance, the occasion was marked by three days of “drinking, gambling, athletic games, and even target shooting with English muskets” and the noshing of venison and cod.

There’s the belief, however, that the first Thanksgiving was not celebrated in New England but thousands of miles away in present-day Texas. No, I’m not joking:

Penny Colman uses this question as a premise for her book. The result is "Thanksgiving: The True Story," a collection of her research in very readable text augmented with charts, maps and pictures. Readers 8-14 will find much information for their own enjoyment and research.

Many debate where the first Thanksgiving took place.

For example, in 1598, a Spanish explorer, Juan de Onate, settled in present-day New Mexico. The account of the settlement's "thanksgiving" was recorded by poet Perez de Villagra in 1610. People in the area consider it the "first Thanksgiving." A re-enactment of Onate's settlement is held annually in San Elizario, Texas.

The Texas Society Daughters of American Colonists in Palo Duro Canon, Texas, declare their location as the "first." In Florida, both La Caroline and St. Augustine believe their cities were the earliest places of celebration.

Image- Product Reviews
Sources- Deseret News, Neatorama

Enjoy your bean soup!

“The first Thanksgiving was held in Massachusetts between Native Americans and protestant English settlers who ate a great feast of turkey and cranberries.”

That’s the nugget of wisdom pervasive in our popular culture and taught to schoolchildren. If you’ve heard enough times then it must be the truth, right?

Well, not exactly:

Robyn Gioia, 53, has written a children's book, and just the title is enough to peeve any Pilgrim: America's REAL First Thanksgiving…

What does REAL mean? Well, she's not talking turkey and cranberry sauce. She's talking a Spanish explorer who landed here on Sept. 8, 1565, and celebrated a feast of thanksgiving with Timucua Indians. They dined on bean soup.

If you do the math, it is 56 years before the Pilgrims sat down and shared a meal with natives at Plymouth Rock.

Giola goes on to mention in the USA TODAY article that she hoped that the influx of Latinos into the U.S. would help spread the idea of the first Thanksgiving took place 442 years ago in St. Augustine, Florida.

(For that matter, the meal at Plymouth Rock was probably the third Thanksgiving according to some researchers).

While some of us enjoy time with family and a nice meal, let us show our gratitude to the important things in life as well as the history behind true first Thanksgiving nearly five centuries ago.

Sources- USA TODAY, Christian Science Monitor

Image- Seriously Good