Anderson, Jay (Jay Allan)

About the author

Jay Allan Anderson was an American educator and local historian active in the mid-20th century, whose interest in the cultural and communal foundations of American holidays led him to produce texts offering insights into their historical and social origins. His title Partakers of Plenty: A Study of the First Thanksgiving stands out for its attempt to delve beyond the standardized schoolbook narrative, weaving together primary documents, interpretive essays, and reflections on how Thanksgiving evolved into a national tradition rich with myths and symbolic layers.

In Partakers of Plenty, Anderson traces the Pilgrim celebration in 1621—commonly cited as the “first Thanksgiving”—while acknowledging the interplay of historical facts, wishful retellings, and later cultural overlays. Rejecting overly romantic depictions, he scrutinizes accounts from William Bradford and Edward Winslow, highlighting how the actual harvest feast likely blended English harvest customs with Native Wampanoag traditions. Anderson’s approach underscores that the communal meal was less a single codified ritual and more a pragmatic gathering that reflected gratitude for survival. From deer hunts to maize cultivation, the feast showcased a precarious alliance and momentary mutual exchange between settlers and Indigenous hosts.

Yet Anderson’s analysis also shows that over centuries, American society reinterpreted Thanksgiving themes. He details how colonial and early national leaders co-opted the memory of 1621 to foster unity or moral teaching, sometimes glossing over the complexities of colonial–Native relations. Additionally, the text discusses how 19th-century activism by Sarah Josepha Hale and others helped cement Thanksgiving as an official holiday—a day for family reunions, charitable endeavors, and public orations about national destiny. Throughout, Anderson critiques the selective amnesia that can accompany holiday mythmaking, calling for an honest reckoning with both cooperation and conflict in the Pilgrim–Native encounter.

Writing in a straightforward, educational style, Anderson targeted both teachers and curious adults who sought a deeper or more nuanced perspective than simplistic depictions of Pilgrims and Indians sharing a harmonious meal. He framed the “first Thanksgiving” not merely as a quaint tale but as a prism through which Americans negotiate ideas of gratitude, hospitality, and cultural identity. His emphasis on multiple viewpoints and sociopolitical context is emblematic of an evolving historical awareness that holidays are as much about invention and symbolism as about faithful commemoration of events.

Though overshadowed by more voluminous academic research in subsequent decades, Partakers of Plenty remains relevant for illustrating an intermediate phase of Thanksgiving historiography—one keen to step beyond benign legend while still fostering a sense of unity through the ideals of communal sharing and mutual respect. Anderson’s balanced approach continues to resonate with readers who value critical yet constructive explorations of beloved national traditions, revealing that Thanksgiving’s myth and meaning are shaped not only by heritage but also by ongoing moral and social dialogues.