This Day in History: , FDR Establishes <br />the Modern <br />Thanksgiving Holiday.<br />November 26, 1941.<br />President Franklin D. Roosevelt <br />signed a bill officially establishing <br />the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day.<br />In 1939, Roosevelt had departed from tradition <br />by declaring the next to last Thursday <br />that year as Thanksgiving Day.<br />The tradition dated back to President Abraham Lincoln, <br />who declared Thanksgiving to fall on <br />the last Thursday of November.<br />Franklin's deviation sparked <br />considerable controversy. <br />Some Americans refused <br />to honor the declaration.<br />But Roosevelt repeated <br />the unpopular proclamation <br />for the next two years.<br />In 1941, the president admitted his mistake and <br />signed the bill establishing the modern national <br />holiday of Thanksgiving Day
