Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and the White House is prepping up for its yearly tradition of pardoning a turkey. Every year the president pardons one or two turkeys before the commencement of the Thanksgiving holidays. This means that the bird will not be slaughtered for Thanksgiving dinner and its life will be spared.
It is believed that Abraham Lincoln was the first president to pardon a turkey in 1863. According to a report by History Channel, Lincoln’s son became attached to a turkey that was to be served at the dinner, which led him to spare its life.
During the 1940s, the National Turkey Federation started presenting the turkeys to the president ahead of Thanksgiving. According to the federation’s website, "The White House Presentation signals the beginning of the holiday season of national thanks, historically representing agriculture’s bountiful harvest.
Harry S. Truman was the first president to receive a turkey from the National Turkey Federation. However, he does not hold the credit for pardoning a turkey as they eventually became a holiday feast. In 1948, Truman told the reporters that the turkeys would "come in handy" for Christmas dinner.
Who was the first president to pardon the turkey?
According to the White House Historical Association, John F. Kennedy pardoned the turkey in 1963. He decided to spare a turkey’s life that was presented to him during a ceremony, stating, “Let’s keep him going.”
During the 1980s, it became a norm to send turkey to a farm under the rule of President Ronald Reagan. But it officially came into practice in 1989 when President George H. W. Bush formally declared that the turkey would not end up on anyone’s table.
"But 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 granted a Presidential pardon as of right now—and allow him to live out his days on a children's farm not far from here,” the President said.
How has the tradition been practiced by other presidents?
Each year, the president is presented with a pair of turkeys, and following a brief ceremony, the lives of one or two turkeys are pardoned. The lighthearted moment adds to the humor and festivity of the holiday season.
Last year, President Joe Biden spared the lives of two turkeys, Liberty and Bell, which were presented to him during the official ceremony of pardoning a turkey. The duo hails from Willmar in Minnesota and received celebrity treatment before their official pardon.
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President Donald Trump also participated in the event during his presidency. He pardoned turkeys named Corn and Cob in 2020.
As of now, there has been no official announcement made on presidential pardoning the turkeys in 2024.
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