Our nation celebrates Thanksgiving in late November, as a nation, because of an October 1863 proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln. Prior to that, states celebrated on the dates of their choice.
Using words, you would more likely hear from a pulpit than a government leader these days, our 16th president invited his fellow citizens to set aside “a Day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.”
History has shown Lincoln to be one of our more quotable presidents, particularly on matters involving leadership and freedom. Within weeks of his Thanksgiving proclamation, he would deliver the Gettysburg Address, with its memorable reference to “government of the people, by the people, for the people.”
As the people of Washington pause to give thanks for the many blessings we have received, it’s also a good time to give credit to those who helped to make our state what it is. Some of Lincoln’s other words of wisdom lend themselves to that.
Achievement has no color, Lincoln said. That would apply to familiar figures like Chief Seattle, who befriended settlers arriving in the Puget Sound area, and Centralia’s George Washington, born into slavery, who not only founded Lewis County’s largest city but kept it alive during difficult times through his courageous and compassionate leadership.
It also brings in people like George Washington Bush, who became one of the first black landowners in Washington when he settled his family in Thurston County, and was also legendary for his generosity to neighbors and new settlers.
Owen Bush, one of his sons, was among the most celebrated farmers in Washington. He was chosen in 1889 to serve in the first House of Representatives and would have an important role in the creation of a state agricultural college – today’s Washington State University.
Lincoln also spoke multiple times about the importance of perseverance: “The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion,” is an example.
Those words and his interest in discoveries and inventions call to mind both the historical and modern trailblazers of our state, from Mother Joseph, who led the founding of hospitals and schools across Washington, to industry leaders like George Weyerhaeuser, William Boeing, John Nordstrom, and Paul Allen.
In his 1863 annual address to Congress, Lincoln did not just lay out a plan for the reconstruction of the nation. He also called for welcoming those seeking to become naturalized citizens as a “source of national wealth and strength.”
While they are largely nameless today, the countless people who migrated here to become Americans – in Lincoln’s time and over the next century – also had a huge part in the growth of our state.
The influence of Hispanics, Ukrainians, Russians, Koreans, Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, Filipinos, Scandinavians, Germans, Sephardic Jews, East Indians, Eastern Europeans and others can be seen in communities throughout Washington. It should be celebrated.
Also, the day after Thanksgiving is designated as a legal holiday in Washington to recognize the immeasurable contributions of Native Americans and their remarkable cultures. In fact, this is the 10th anniversary of Native American Heritage Day, which was created by a state Senate bill.
Lincoln hoped he would be remembered as someone who “always plucked a thistle and planted a flower where I thought a flower would grow.”
That describes some of the elected officials who should be remembered for their efforts to put our state on a better path — like the late Sen. Jeannette Hayner, the first woman to lead a house of our state Legislature, and former three-term Gov. Dan Evans, who recently passed at age 98.
When Lincoln issued that first national Thanksgiving proclamation, the Civil War was just past its halfway point. Washington was only a territory, far removed from the fighting over the expansion of slavery.
The issues before the territorial legislators who met in Olympia in 1863 included selecting a public printer, deciding whether legislators could grant divorces, and the proposed construction of an “adequate” wagon road between Puget Sound and Walla Walla.
While those were important debates for a territory that was less than a decade old, they couldn’t compare to the strife in many of the 35 states that existed at the time of that first national Thanksgiving,
Lincoln referred to the consequences of the war in his proclamation, which went on to recommend that the people “fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand” to do two things.
The first was to heal the nation’s wounds. The second was to restore the nation to the “full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.”
Washington has come a very long way in the 161 years since, especially when compared to other states.
For instance, U.S. News and World Report recently ranked our state eighth in the nation overall, based on scores in eight categories that include health care, education, and crime.
However, it’s important to know the same publication had ranked Washington second overall in 2023.
The drop in this year’s overall ranking is due largely to crime rates. Our state sank to 39th in that category for 2024, compared to 19th the previous year.
In the “opportunity” category, which covers affordability along with economic opportunity, our state fell to 37th in 2024. That’s down from an already troubling 31st in 2023.
In turn, “affordability” is defined by the overall cost of living and the cost of housing. In that specific category, only California, Hawaii and New Jersey ranked worse than our state.
In the education category, the publication ranked Washington 13th. I believe many K-12 parents would be skeptical about that, especially those who have seen their children suffer from post-pandemic learning loss.
Sure enough, a closer look shows Washington ranking 32nd for “pre-K-12” and a dismal 40th place for college readiness.
To use Lincoln’s words, these examples help show where our state needs healing.
Our communities have been wounded by violence and lawlessness. Our families and employers have been wounded by the high cost of living. Our children have been wounded by misguided priorities.
Republicans are working on policy and budget proposals to address all of this during the 2025 legislative session, which convenes in less than two months.
In the meantime, the list of blessings received by our state since that first national Thanksgiving is a long one. Let’s offer thanks and praise for it.
After the results of the general election came in, I observed the voters had spoken, and it was now time to get to work.
Simply healing our state will take a great deal of work. Restoring it to Lincoln’s definition — the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and union — means reaching an even higher bar.
Getting to that standard will take more leadership and vision from both sides of the political aisle than we have seen in some time. But it’s how we make our state better.
John Braun, Republican Senate Minority Leader
Senator John Braun was first elected to the Washington State Senate in 2012 to represent Southwest Washington’s 20th Legislative District, which includes most of Cowlitz and Lewis counties along with parts of Clark and Thurston.
John is leader of the Senate Republican Caucus and a member of the Senate Ways & Means Committee, the Labor & Commerce Committee, and the Housing Committee.
Prior to his business career, John served on active duty in the U.S. Navy. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Washington and master’s degrees in business administration and manufacturing engineering from the University of Michigan.
He and his family reside on a small farm in rural Lewis County, outside Centralia.
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Author: Lynnwood Times Contributor
