but in 1939 the last thursday fell on november 30th. now, at the time the country was still dragging itself out of the great depression and roosevelt, a democrat, feerd that a shortened holiday shopping season would be bad for retailers, so he decided to issue an executive proclamation moving the holiday one week earlier. now, the move was designed to help the country, it divided it instead. that it benefitted only large retailers, college football coaches were livid. many schools had scheduled big homecoming games for an original holiday only to discover the games would now be played on a random weekday that was no longer thanksgiving and everyone would be at work. the move so angered one arkansas coach he threatened to change parties and vote republican. fdr s political adversaries pounced. maine s governor refused to carve a banquet turkey and