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The First Official Thanksgiving

A re-enactment of the Englishmen coming ashore on the banks of the James River in Virginia in 1619. Through dramatic re-enactment and interviews from Graham Woodlief, a descendant of Capt. John Woodlief, Karla K. Bruno, author and biographer of Dr. Lyon Tyler, Chief Stephen Adkins of the Chickahominy Tribe, and several other individuals, "The First Official Thanksgiving" challenges the long-held belief that America's first Thanksgiving was held in Plymouth, Mass.
Courtesy of WCVE
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APT
A re-enactment of the Englishmen coming ashore on the banks of the James River in Virginia in 1619. Through dramatic re-enactment and interviews from Graham Woodlief, a descendant of Capt. John Woodlief, Karla K. Bruno, author and biographer of Dr. Lyon Tyler, Chief Stephen Adkins of the Chickahominy Tribe, and several other individuals, "The First Official Thanksgiving" challenges the long-held belief that America's first Thanksgiving was held in Plymouth, Mass.

Friday, Nov. 24, 2023 at 6:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on KPBS 2 / Stream now with the PBS App + YouTube

"The First Official Thanksgiving" tells the story of what some historians might call the first “official, English-speaking” Thanksgiving held in the Americas. Through dramatic re-enactment and interviews from Graham Woodlief, a descendant of Capt. John Woodlief, Karla K. Bruno, author and biographer of Dr. Lyon Tyler, Chief Stephen Adkins of the Chickahominy Tribe, and several other individuals, the film challenges the long-held belief that America's first Thanksgiving was held in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and chronicles how the discovery of the Nibley papers led to a friendly rivalry between Virginia and Massachusetts about who can rightfully lay claim to the birth of America's Thanksgiving holiday.

The First Official Thanksgiving

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Ship in James River
VPM
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APT
Ship in James River

Credits: Presented by VPM. Distributed by American Public Television