The History And Purpose of Memorial Day
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Memorial Day, which falls on May 26 this year, is often considered the unofficial start of summer. However, the federal holiday has a much deeper purpose. It honors the men and women who lost their lives while serving in the US Armed Forces. This includes those in the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy.
The first official Memorial Day celebration was held on May 30, 1868. It was organized by John A. Logan, a former Civil War general. That day, he led about 5,000 people to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia to place flags and flowers on the graves of 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers.
Logan called it "Decoration Day" since the tradition focused on decorating the graves with flowers. Some historians think he picked May 30 because it did not fall on the anniversary of any Civil War battle. Others believe it was because flowers would bloom throughout the country in late May. This would make it easier for people to gather fresh ones for the graves.
By 1890, every Northern state had adopted Decoration Day. Southern states were slower to follow and continued to honor their fallen soldiers on separate days. It was not until after World War I — when the holiday was expanded to commemorate soldiers from all wars — that the South began observing the holiday. Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas still have specific holidays to remember Confederate soldiers.
In 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a federal holiday. The lawmakers also moved the date to the last Monday in May, giving Americans a three-day weekend. While the extra day off was popular, it also caused the holiday’s meaning to fade for some. Kids began to see it as the start of summer, while adults thought of it as a time to shop for bargains.
To help restore the holiday’s true purpose, Congress passed the National Moment of Remembrance Act in December 2000. It encourages Americans to observe a minute of silence at 3:00 p.m. local time each Memorial Day to remember those who died in the line of duty. So this May 26, take just 60 seconds out of your busy schedule to remember our fallen heroes.
Resources: History.com, Wikipedia.org
