Turkeys Want You to Eat Chicken
It all began in 1947 when the NTF, National Turkey Federation and the Poultry and Egg National Board began giving a turkey to our nation’s president. The turkeys were eaten at a white house dinner. So, when did turkeys begin to ask for a pardon? It first occurred in 1963, when President Kennedy, referring to the turkey given to him, said, “Let’s just keep him.” It wasn’t until the first Thanksgiving of President George H.W. Bush, in 1989, that a turkey was officially pardoned for the first time.
Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush followed suit and allowed a pardon of each turkey presented as a gift. Now, some people think this tradition, of pardoning turkeys began in 1947 when Harry Truman pardoned the turkey given to him. There is no documentation of this. Even the Truman Library has been unable to find any evidence of this. Another story claims the tradition dates back to Abraham Lincoln pardoning his son Tad’s pet turkey.
Since the first actual pardon in 1989, the pardoned turkeys have enjoyed their reprieve while residing at petting zoos. Lucky turkeys!
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