News. Thanksgiving Day, annual national holiday in the United States and Canada celebrating the harvest and other blessings of the past year. Americans generally believe that their Thanksgiving is modeled on a 1621 harvest feast shared by the English colonists (Pilgrims) of Plymouth and the Wampanoag people.

But if it seems the annual event is a little later this year, it's because it is. Thanksgiving 2024 is on Nov. 28 and that's technically as late as it can be. The reason is all because of two “Cs” – Congress and the calendar.

Following a successful harvest in the autumn of 1621, the colonists decided to celebrate with a three-day festive of prayer. The 53 surviving are said to have eaten with 90 indigenous people in what became known as the first Thanksgiving.

Historical Context: Many Native Americans view Thanksgiving as a reminder of the painful history of colonization, which included violence, displacement, and the loss of land and culture. The narrative of Thanksgiving often overlooks the suffering and resilience of Indigenous peoples.