Based on the former Congressman, Charles E. Bennett, the first actual Thanksgiving in America was when Rene Goulaine De Laudonniere, the French explorer set foot on Florida soil in 1564. Bennett, the author of many books on Florida including “Twelve on the River St. Johns”, “Fort Caroline and Its Leader”, “Florida’s “French” Revolution” and more makes note of the fact that over 50 years before the Pilgrims came to America, the French were here in 1562. Laudonniere, leading a second voyage, established Fort Caroline in Jacksonville, Florida thanking God and claiming Florida.  There is a marker on the grounds of Fort Caroline of a marker designating as the land where the first Protestant proclaimed God.

On September 21, 1950 Charles Bennett sponsored a bill to establish Fort Caroline in Jacksonville, Florida a National Monument to commemorate the establishment of their search for religious freedom.  His quote on that day was…

“The 425th anniversary of the beginning settlements by Europeans…renamed from Fort Caroline to San Mateo, to San Nicolas, to Cowford and finally to Jacksonville in 1822… “

According to History.com, the First “Thanksgiving” was September 8, 1865 when there were “Blaring trumpets and thundering artillery” serenading Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles arrival and claim of Florida thanking  “God and his country” in St. Augustine so there are those who claim that.  

Of course, we all know the story of the Pilgrims landing in 1620 having a meal with the Indians and a story of the First Thanksgiving.

Fort Caroline was founded by French Protestant Christians  who were called Huguenots.  They were seeking religious freedom.

Quotes from days gone by….

“What pleasure it would give us to find any indication of Charles’s Fort on the Carolina coast, where a French Protestant colony attempted a settlement, a full century before the English; or the stone pillar with the arms of France , erected, on that occasion, on the river of May.”  Abiel Homes, 1814

“…The Fort Caroline settlement set a new pattern for religious freedom in America – a pattern which was to be imitated until religious liberty and personal freedom become the great trademark for the United States.”  Charles E. Bennett, Laudonniere and Fort Caroline

“On June 30, 1564, construction of a triangular-shaped fort…was begun with the help of a local tribe of Timucuan Indians… Home for this hardy group of Huguenots…their strong religious…motivations inspired them.” 

According to Bennett, The French Christian Huguenots in Florida set a day of Thanksgiving and offered the first Protestant prayer in North America on JUNE 30, 1564: “We sang a psalm of Thanksgiving unto God, beseeching Him that it would please Him to continue His accustomed goodness towards us.” 

Most importantly is being thankful to God for his bounty at whatever point you came.

See you tomorrow, 

Sources: History. com, NPS. gov, nationalparks. org, ribaultsong .com