Did You Know that the original date chosen to celebrate Memorial Day was done so for specific reasons?
On May 5, 1868, General John A. Logan, Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of veterans who fought to preserve the Union of the United States, issued a “general order” calling for a day to remember soldiers who died during the Civil War.
Here is an excerpt of General Order #11:
“The 30th day 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 church-yard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.”
May 30th was selected because that particular date did not commemorate any battles, and the date would assure that flowers would be in bloom around the Country.
However, in 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which allowed federal employees to have a three-day weekend. Thus, Memorial Day is now celebrated on the last Monday in May.
Memorial Day was not an official federal holiday until 1971, when the Uniform Monday Holiday Act became law.
Remembering the Nation’s fallen soldiers has not always been called Memorial Day.
General Order #11 of the GAR established a day of remembrance which was known as “Decoration Day,” which is fitting since people decorate the graves of fallen soldiers.
In 1938,The U.S. Congress recognized Decoration Day as a federal holiday, and even though the name “Memorial Day” was fast becoming part of the American lexicon after the Second World War, The name was not officially changed until 1967.
Every year, the more than a quarter-of-a million graves at Arlington National Cemetery are decorated with American Flags.
Decoration Day-AKA Memorial Day, originally only recognized those who fought in the Civil War.
Southern states begin celebrating “Confederate” Decoration Day, known today as Confederate Memorial Day. A number of Southern States still celebrate Confederate Memorial Day.
Following World War I, Memorial Day began honoring all members of the military who died in any military conflict.
It is customary for the POTUS to commemorate Memorial Day
Every sitting President since Ulysses S. Grant has delivered a speech at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery On this auspicious occasion. It should be noted that Grant’s speech was two-hours long, and it is highly unlikely in the day of mass media that any president would deliver such a lengthy oration.
A moment to remember those who gave their lives for our Country became established by Congress.
According to Veterans Affairs website:
“To ensure the sacrifices of America’s fallen heroes are never forgotten, in December 2000, the U.S. Congress passed, and the president signed into law “The National Moment of Remembrance Act,” P.L. 106-579, creating the White House Commission on the National Moment of Remembrance. The commission’s charter is to “encourage the people of the United States to give something back to their country, which provides them so much freedom and opportunity” by encouraging and coordinating commemorations in the United States of Memorial Day and the National Moment of Remembrance.
The National Moment of Remembrance encourages all Americans to pause wherever they are at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day for a minute of silence to remember and honor those who have died in service to the nation.”
Birthplace of Memorial Day Celebrations up for debate.
Despite the fact that many historians state that Waterloo, New York is the birthplace of Memorial Day, and in 1966, Congress and President Lyndon Johnson made it “official,” twenty-five other cities lay claim to this title.
Memorial Day Parades are a long-standing tradition.
The longest continually running Memorial Day Parade is The Ironton-Lawrence Memorial Day Parade in Ohio, which began in 1868.
The first Memorial Day Parade was held in1867, in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.
The largest Memorial Day Parades In the U.S. are the National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, D.C., and the Little Neck-Douglaston Memorial Day Parade, which is held in Queens, New York.
Memorial Day is great for beer sales.
Memorial Day is second only to the Fourth-of-July for the amount of beer sold in America.
Last but not least, it should be pointed out that Veterans Day and Memorial Day. Veterans Day honors those who have served in the U.S. military, while Memorial Day honors the men and women who gave their lives for their country in the line of duty.
