President Harry Truman "pardoned" a turkey the day before it was scheduled to be a main attraction at the White House Thanksgiving dinner. The pardoning of one lucky bird is now an annual Thanksgiving event at the White House. It's a tradition featuring poultry humor, holiday history, and the commutation of a trip to the chopping block into a life-long stay in a Herndon, Virginia petting zoo. A 1945 Portrait of President Harry Truman, the First Commander-in-Chief to Pardon a Turkey.