Memorial Day is a National American Holiday. Observed on the last Monday in May.
It didn't officially become a National Holiday until 1971.
The Holiday was created to honor our military troops fallen in battle.
The Holiday first took shape in the years following the Civil War and was originally only intended to honor those men and women fallen in the war. However, since then it has evolved to honor every American fallen while serving in the U.S. military.
American's celebrate this Holiday by visiting cemeteries and memorials. Often bringing flowers and decorationes to grave sites. Barbecue's and fun in the water are often hallmarks of this day.
A Brief History:
When the civil war ended in 1865, more American live's had been lost than in any other military conflict in U.S. history. A fact that still rings true to this day.
In fact, if you add up all the lives lost in every other American conflict, they barely surpass the number of lives lost in the Civil War.
Waterloo, New York was credited with being the official birthplace of Memorial Day because of a local community wide event that took place there every year on May 5th. Businesses would close on that day and people would pay their respects to the fallen soldiers. The first such gathering took place in 1866.
By the late 1860's countless families and friends had been gathering in the spring time to pay tribute to these fallen soldiers.
Then in 1868, General John A. Logan called for a nationwide day of remembrance on May 30th. A day that was designated for the purpose of decorating grave sites of those that died for our country.
This day would be called "Decoration Day."
On the first Decoration Day, James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery. Over 5,000 people showed up to hear him speak and help decorate the more than 20,000 grave sites residing there.
Originally Decoration Day was only to honor those fallen in the Civil War, but as military conflicts and causalities grew, Decoration Day started to include all those fallen in battle.
Over the years, the term "Decoration Day" slowly evolved into "Memorial Day".
For years and years it continued to be observed on May 30th. Until Congress passed the Uniform Monday Act in 1968. The act established the last Monday in May as the official date of Memorial Day in order to create a 3-day weekend for Federal employees.
The act officially went into effect in 1971, which was the date of our first official Monday Memorial Day.
Did you know?
Memorial Day was first only meant as a day for honoring those fallen in the Civil War.
Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day.
Memorial Day was on May 30th for decades before being changed in 1971 to the last Monday in May.
Every Memorial Day at 3 pm (local time), there is a national moment of silence.
Every Memorial Day, flags are placed at all the grave sites in Arlington National Cemetery.
Memorial Day is the unofficial start of Summer.
Have a safe and fun Memorial Day out there. In all the fun, make sure you don't forget to remember what the day is really about!
Stay informed my friends!
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arlington_National_Cemetery
http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/memorial-day-history
Image Sources:
http://www.memorialdayfacts.com/happy-memorial-day-2017-images-clip-art-pictures.html
https://blog.fold3.com/may-30-1868-first-official-memorial-day-observance/
http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/memorial-day-history
