Have you ever heard of Forefathers’ Day? I hadn’t either, until a caller mentioned it during a conversation the other day. This uniquely Massachusetts holiday is observed only in Plymouth, and it has been around for a long time.
Who Were the Forefathers?
Not to be confused with the Founding Fathers such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Ben Franklin, the Forefathers were the Pilgrims, the Separatist Congregationalists from England, who arrived in what is now Massachusetts on December 21, 1620.
What Is Forefathers’ Day?
The Pilgrims first landed in Provincetown aboard the Mayflower before settling across the bay in Plymouth to establish a new colony. December 22 is known as Forefathers’ Day.
“On one of the shortest days of the year, a group of Plymouth citizens continues a centuries-old tradition by celebrating Forefathers’ Day,” according to the New England Historical Society. The celebrants are members of the Plymouth Old Colony Club.
How Plymouth Celebrates Forefathers’ Day
“They rise before dawn, don top hats and march to the top of Cole’s Hill next to Massasoit’s statue,” according to the NEHS. “They listen to a reading of a proclamation honoring the forefathers, and they’ll fire an old cannon.”
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“Then they adjourn for a breakfast of succotash made the Pilgrims’ way: with broth and pieces of fowl,” NEHS said. PilgrimHall.org says observers of Forefathers’ Day gather in song, “The Breaking Waves Dashed High,” as part of the annual celebration.
How Long Has Forefathers’ Day Been Observed?
The celebration was introduced in 1769 by Pilgrim descendants who gathered to honor their ancestors.
Why Forefathers’ Day Still Matters Today
EBSCO.com says, “To honor the memory of the Plymouth settlers, a number of New England jurisdictions observe Forefathers’ Day annually.”…