TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS COME – GREETINGS:

WHEREAS: In 1864, President Lincoln announced the first official Thanksgiving to urge Americans to pause in the middle of the Civil War to give thanks to God for the many blessings we enjoy;

WHEREAS: Over a century and a half later, Americans continue to gather with friends and family to give thanks, share in fellowship, and take a break from the hurry of modern life;

WHEREAS: Thanksgiving Day is a time for Arkansans to travel home and reconnect with family over delicious food, giving thanks for the bounty we enjoy; and

WHEREAS: I encourage my fellow Arkansans to celebrate this day with gratitude and quiet reflection on God’s gifts to us all.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, Governor of the State of Arkansas, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the laws of the State of Arkansas, do hereby proclaim November 23, 2023, as
 

“THANKSGIVING DAY”

in the State of Arkansas, and in order that state employees may spend this holiday with their families giving thanks, I further declare the State Capitol and state offices will be closed on Friday, November 24, 2023, as well

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Arkansas to be affixed this 31st day of October, in the year of our Lord 2023.