Before the Pardon: The Forgotten History of America’s Presidential Turkeys

The Early Days: Turkeys Arrive at the White House

Long before the televised pardons and humorous photo ops, Thanksgiving turkeys were already part of White House history. Presidents as early as Ulysses S. Grant received turkeys as gifts during the holiday season, offered by farmers across the country. The birds were meant not for ceremony — but for dinner.

Some were served at family tables, some were displayed, and others became local curiosities. But it wasn’t until one persistent poultry farmer stepped forward that the tradition began to take recognizable shape.

Horace Vose: “The Turkey King”

Beginning in the 1870s, Rhode Island turkey farmer Horace Vose started sending the President of the United States a carefully selected Thanksgiving turkey every year. His birds were known for their quality and size, and he personally selected the best of his flock to deliver to the White House.

For over four decades — from the 1870s until his death in 1913 — Vose’s annual turkey became an unofficial presidential tradition. Newspapers covered his deliveries, and Americans came to expect the appearance of the “presidential bird.”

This was the earliest sustained tradition linking the presidency and the Thanksgiving turkey.

After Vose: A New Era of Turkey Gifts

After Vose’s death, turkey gifts came from various farms and states. By the 1940s, the National Turkey Federation and other poultry groups regularly presented ceremonial birds to the White House.

President Harry S. Truman famously accepted these turkeys, though contrary to popular belief, he did not start the presidential “pardon.” His turkeys were used for meals, not spared.

The Beginning of the Pardon Myth

The first clear instance of a president sparing a turkey came in 1963, when President John F. Kennedy received a large turkey with a sign that read, “Good Eating, Mr. President!”

Kennedy looked at the bird and said,
“Let’s keep him going.”

While Kennedy didn’t use the word “pardon,” the gesture was widely interpreted as one of mercy.

President Reagan and the First Official “Pardon”

In 1987, President Ronald Reagan used the word “pardon” jokingly when asked about the fate of that year’s turkey. His remark was playful, not ceremonial, but it marked the first time the term was connected to the turkey tradition.

George H.W. Bush Makes It Official

The modern turkey pardon as Americans know it today began with President George H.W. Bush in 1989. During the presentation, surrounded by animal-rights demonstrators, Bush formally announced that the turkey would be pardoned and allowed to live out its days in peace.

Since then, every president has carried on the tradition.

Where Pardoned Turkeys Go

Over the years, pardoned turkeys have lived at various farms, historical sites, and university agricultural programs. Some have gone to Mount Vernon, others to Disney World, and many to research farms where they live out their natural lives.

A Tradition of Humor and History

Today’s presidential turkey ceremony serves as a lighthearted moment of unity — a break from politics where a simple bird takes center stage. But behind the humor lies a deeper American tradition rooted in gratitude, generosity, and community.

From Horace Vose’s carefully selected birds to today’s televised pardons, the turkey tradition remains a uniquely American celebration of Thanksgiving.