North Carolinians have a long tradition of being thankful on Thanksgiving Day.  At least that’s what books in the North Carolina Collection at East Carolina University’s Joyner Library show.  In these books are many interesting tales, from both natives and visitors, of Thanksgivings past in the Tar Heel state.

     For example, on Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 1862, a Union soldier wrote a letter to his mother.  Private Frederick M. Osborne had just left New Bern and was camped with his regiment along the Trent River southwest of the city.  The 17^th Massachusetts had just taken over his regiment’s place in New Bern, and all the men were glad for a change.  After a little war news, Private Osborne wrote:  “We are to (have) Turkey and Plum Pudding and vegetables and as like home dinner as possible.”  He imagined that his Aunt Jane was “flying round amongst the puddings and pies, putting them on the front of the stove to warm just before dinner . . .”  This Thanksgiving letter is recorded with other letters in the book Private Osborne, Massachusetts 23^rd Volunteers.”

     In 1903, the Wright Brothers didn’t get to go home for Thanksgiving either.  On November 19, Orville wrote from Kitty Hawk to his family in Ohio, describing what progress they were making with their flying machine.  “Judging from present prospects,” he told them, “it is probable we will not be home before the first of next month.”  He closed this letter with the brothers’ Thanksgiving plans:  “Will thought that our best chance of doing the bird act would be to get home before Thanksgiving, but now seems hopeless, so we will try here.”  Letters of the Wright Brothers, including this one, can be found in the book Miracle at Kitty Hawk.

     In the hard years of the 1930s on a North Carolina farm, a little boy named Tobe celebrated Thanksgiving with his extended family.  Everyone, he says, volunteered to go out and find something for the meal—pears, apples, peanuts, hickory nuts, and pumpkins.  His father brought in some rabbits, and his mother baked chickens.  His sisters were in charge of making the desserts, which consisted of “some cakes and sweet potato pies.”  After the meal an uncle told stories that made them laugh.  Tobe concludes his tale, “I wish that Thanksgiving came every day.”  Written in 1939 by Stella Gentry Sharpe, Tobe is notable for its “uncompromising realism” and its many excellent photographs of an African American farm family.

     The North Carolina Collection is on the third floor of J. Y. Joyner Library and is open to area residents as well as to the East Carolina University community.  For information call 252-328-6601 or see www.lib.ecu.edu/NCCollPCC/ncchome.htm.

    Nancy P. Shires is a librarian in the North Carolina Collection.