OPINION:
November has always been a season of gratitude. It’s when we gather to give thanks, remember the blessings that surround us and reflect on how we came to enjoy them. Thanksgiving, and November itself, can also remind us of something deeper: the fact that gratitude without memory is incomplete.
To be thankful for America means knowing the story of America.
History, as author David McCullough often said, teaches us how to behave. It reminds us what we believe in, what we stand for and why those things are worth defending. History gives us perspective, a sense of proportion about life, sacrifice, the time we’ve been given and the foundation we inherited. It shows us that everything we have, from our freedoms to our institutions, exists because someone before us gave their energy, creativity and belief.
That’s why the National American History & Founders Month Organization is calling for November to be formally recognized in law as National American History and Founders Month. The president first proclaimed it in 2019, along with the Democratic and Republican governors of 22 states. As our nation approaches its 250th birthday, it’s time to make that recognition permanent — not as a political gesture but as a national act of gratitude.
November already brings together two observances that reflect the American spirit: Veterans Day and Thanksgiving. One honors the courage of those who have defended our liberty; the other, the providence that granted us liberty in the first place. Lest we forget, it was President Lincoln who proclaimed Thanksgiving a day of gratitude and unity. Designating November as National American History and Founders Month would connect those ideas, reminding us that our freedom was neither accidental nor free.
History isn’t merely a record of what happened. It’s a guide to who we are. When we neglect it, we lose not only knowledge but also humility. As McCullough once said, indifference to history isn’t just ignorance; it’s ingratitude.
This month, as we give thanks around our tables and honor our veterans, let’s also pause to remember the founders and first citizens who imagined something that never existed before: a self-governing nation built on faith, liberty and the belief that all are created equal. Their courage and vision deserve more than a single day’s remembrance.
By designating November as National American History and Founders Month, we can renew our collective gratitude for the blessings we enjoy, the people who made them possible and the enduring miracle of the United States of America.
• Jennifer London is president of the National American History & Founders Month Organization.
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