Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those soldiers who died in service of the United States of America. It is observed on the last Monday in May. This year, it’s being celebrated on May 29.
While the holiday has come to be associated with family get-togethers, fun barbecues, and watching parades, it’s important to know Memorial Day’s history and significance.
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Memorial Day Was Originally Called Decoration Day
The exact location or date of the first Memorial Day celebrations is unclear. However, it was borne out of the Civil War, which came to an end in 1865. Memorial Day was meant to honor those who had died in the war, which was the quarter of a million lives lost during a four-year period. It was originally called Decoration Day.
On May 5, 1868, General John Logan – national commander of the Grand Army of the republic, officially recognized the special day for those who lost their lives in his General Order No. 11. He proclaimed, “The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land.”
In May 1966, former US President Lyndon Johnson officially declared Waterloo, New York as the birthplace of Memorial Day. New York was the first state to officially recognize the holiday in 1873. After World War I, the holiday honored every soldier who died fighting in any war, not just the Civil War.
In 1971, Congress passed Uniform Holiday Act in 1971 and Memorial Day became a federal holiday.
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Memorial Day Celebrations
People had demanded the first national cemetery to honor those soldiers who laid down their lives while serving in the United States military. Now, on Memorial Day, people lay wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. There are religious services, parades, and speeches in memory of the brave hearts.
On the graves of late veterans, flags, insignia, and flowers are placed by their families and other people. The American flag is also flown at half-staff from dawn to noon.
This year, President Joe Biden remembered the fallen soldiers on Memorial Day and wrote on Twitter, “On Memorial Day, we honor America’s fallen heroes who gave their last full measure of devotion to this nation. We’ll never be able to repay the debt we owe them. But today, we rededicate ourselves to the work for which they gave their lives, and we recommit to supporting the loved ones they left behind.”
Let’s remember those who fought for their country and pay tribute to them and their inspiring spirit.
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