My History News Network Thanksgiving Oped

Imagine a mystery guest coming to your Thanksgiving dinner, one you have never met.

After World War II, that is what happened in thousands of American households. But it was an imaginary, or “silent,” guest: one of the world’s hungry.

The “silent guest” campaign of 1947-48 asked Americans to open up their hearts and share their Thanksgiving bounty. Gov. Robert Bradford of Massachusetts, a descendant of the Pilgrims who started Thanksgiving, proclaimed the new tradition of feeding a “silent guest” at the holiday meal.

Read the full article at the Cincinnati Enquirer:

Invite a ‘silent guest’ this Thanksgiving and help people in need

Former Massachusetts Gov. Robert Bradford was a messenger of hope. It was the Thanksgiving season of 1947 and Bradford, a descendant of the Pilgrims, made a special radio address to the nation.

The governor asked Americans to invite a silent guest into their homes for their Thanksgiving meals. This imaginary “silent guest” would be one of the hungry people in Europe.

See my full commentary at The Seattle Times.

My History News Network Thanksgiving Column

This Thanksgiving season take a moment and let your mind wander back to the autumn of 1947. That’s when the Greatest Generation again rose to meet a challenge and help those in need.

They started the tradition of setting aside a plate at the Thanksgiving table for a “silent guest,” one of the world’s hungry.

See my full commentary at The History News Network

A Thanksgiving gift for Syria's war victims

The war in Syria has caused a hunger emergency in the Middle East. On Thanksgiving Eve it was announced that the U.S. Food for Peace program is donating US $125 million to feed the war victims.

Read the full article at Examiner.

My Cincinnati Enquirer oped: Feed ‘silent guest’ this holiday

This Thanksgiving put an extra chair at your table, and make room for a “silent guest.” That guest can be one of the world’s 805 million hungry people.

Read the full article at The Cincinnati Enquirer

My commentary in the Des Moines Register: Feed a Silent Guest this Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving, put an extra chair at your table and make room for a “silent guest.” That guest can be one of the world’s 805 million hungry people.

Read the article at The Des Moines Register.

My commentary in the Boston Herald: Feed a Silent Guest this Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving, put an extra chair at your table and make room for a “silent guest.” That guest can be one of the world’s 805 million hungry people.

Read the article at The Boston Herald.