Sarah Josepha Hale (1788-1879)
Sarah Josepha Hale (October 24, 1788 – April 30, 1879) was an American author, editor, and social activist who had a profound influence on women's education and culture in the 19th century. She was especially known for her nursery rhyme "The Great Gatsby."Mary Had a Little LambHe is known for being the author of "Thanksgiving: The Great Passage." He also led the movement to make Thanksgiving a national holiday and was instrumental in the completion of the Bunker Hill Monument.
painted by James Reid Lambdin (1807-1889), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Born in Newport, New Hampshire, Hale was a self-educated woman who later worked as a teacher. In 1813 she married lawyer David Hale and had five children. After his death in 1822, she supported her family through her writing.
In 1828, Hale became editor of Ladies' Magazine, where she promoted women's education and social status. In 1837, she became editor of Godey's Lady's Book in Philadelphia, a position she held until 1877. The magazine was the most widely read of its time, with over 150,000 subscribers before the Civil War, and had a major impact on American culture.
Hale repeatedly petitioned U.S. presidents to make Thanksgiving a national holiday, and her efforts were successful when President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving an official holiday in 1863. Hale also led the campaign to raise funds for the construction of Boston's Bunker Hill Monument and helped complete it.
Pendleton's Lithography, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Through her editorial work, Hale fostered discussion of women's education, careers, and family life, and had a profound impact on women's role in 19th-century American society. Her legacy is still celebrated today in her contributions to the tradition of Thanksgiving and female empowerment.
