What is Memorial Day? Why do we celebrate it? Learn about the history of Memorial Day and how we commonly celebrate the holiday in the United States.
Learn the Meaning Behind the Holiday
Memorial Day is a patriotic part of our American culture. Every year, on the last Monday in May, we get a day off work or school to get together with our families. We often have a cookout, visit a lake or beach, or go on a trip. Children relish this first long weekend away from school at the beginning of summer and look forward to the outdoor fun, food and frolic that comes with it. Most of us rush to parties, get deals at all the department store sales and make our plans without ever stopping to reflect on what Memorial Day is all about. In fact, many people do not fully understand why we celebrate Memorial Day or how this holiday came into being. The answer may surprise you. Memorial Day is a special day for us to honor America’s members of the armed forces that have lost their life during time of war.
It is a time for us to mark the graves of the brave soldiers that gave their lives for our country, pay our respects and give thanks for their sacrifice.
Memorial Day has been around since the end of the Civil War, where it was originally called Decoration Day. The first Decoration Day took place on May 30, 1868 at Arlington National Cemetery under the order of General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic. Flowers were placed on the graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers at the cemetery. New York State recognized the holiday in 1873 and by 1890 the entire North celebrated it. Although Decoration Day honored all soldiers, regardless of whether they fought for the North or the South, it took awhile for the South to accept the holiday. They rejected the holiday outright, in lieu of their own individual state celebrates to honor only the confederate dead. It wasn’t until after the First World War that the Southern states began to recognize the holiday. It was at this time that the holiday changed to include soldiers that had died during any war. Congress officially made the day a holiday with the National Holiday Act, P.L. 90 - 363, in 1971. Some Southern states adopted another Confederate Memorial Day holiday to honor just the Southern soldiers. This Confederate holiday is still celebrated in Texas on January 19, in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi on April 26, in South Carolina on May 10, and in Louisiana and Tennessee on June 3.
Over time people began to forget or confuse what the holiday was meant to do. Most people began to use the day to honor any person that had died, not just soldiers, like the original intent of the holiday. It became a time for you to place flowers and clean up the graves of any family member or friend that had died. A few organizations like the 3d U.S. Infantry, the Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts of America, still used the day to place flags at soldier’s graves or light candles in their honor. However, most of America had forgotten what Memorial Day was all about. The graves of the soldier’s that had given their lives for our country became neglected. Finally in 2000, the National Moment of Remembrance Act was passed to help re-educate the public to the meaning of Memorial Day. A statement from The White House was released which asked all Americans to observe a moment of silence to reflect of the sacrifice of the soldiers that have died in service to our country and to honor their memory.
Memorial Day has been around since the end of the Civil War, where it was originally called Decoration Day. The first Decoration Day took place on May 30, 1868 at Arlington National Cemetery under the order of General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic. Flowers were placed on the graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers at the cemetery. New York State recognized the holiday in 1873 and by 1890 the entire North celebrated it. Although Decoration Day honored all soldiers, regardless of whether they fought for the North or the South, it took awhile for the South to accept the holiday. They rejected the holiday outright, in lieu of their own individual state celebrates to honor only the confederate dead. It wasn’t until after the First World War that the Southern states began to recognize the holiday. It was at this time that the holiday changed to include soldiers that had died during any war. Congress officially made the day a holiday with the National Holiday Act, P.L. 90 - 363, in 1971. Some Southern states adopted another Confederate Memorial Day holiday to honor just the Southern soldiers. This Confederate holiday is still celebrated in Texas on January 19, in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi on April 26, in South Carolina on May 10, and in Louisiana and Tennessee on June 3.
Over time people began to forget or confuse what the holiday was meant to do. Most people began to use the day to honor any person that had died, not just soldiers, like the original intent of the holiday. It became a time for you to place flowers and clean up the graves of any family member or friend that had died. A few organizations like the 3d U.S. Infantry, the Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts of America, still used the day to place flags at soldier’s graves or light candles in their honor. However, most of America had forgotten what Memorial Day was all about. The graves of the soldier’s that had given their lives for our country became neglected. Finally in 2000, the National Moment of Remembrance Act was passed to help re-educate the public to the meaning of Memorial Day. A statement from The White House was released which asked all Americans to observe a moment of silence to reflect of the sacrifice of the soldiers that have died in service to our country and to honor their memory.
No comments:
Post a Comment