Memorial Day Holiday – To Honor and Remember
May 30, 2016Memorial Day Holiday, With Our Appreciation and Gratitude
The Memorial Day Holiday is a day set aside in the United States to honor and remember the men and women that have given their lives to fight for our freedom and liberty. Most Americans know that Memorial Day is about honoring the United States' fallen heroes from wars but has become commercialized. Sometimes the history and purpose of the holiday get buried in the retail and online sales, running races, bbq cookouts, baseball, and auto racing. Who doesn't love sales, picnics, and sports events but we wanted to share more about what the Memorial Day holiday is about.
Initially, the holiday was known as Decoration Day. It originated in the years after the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Memorial Day is an American holiday that is observed on the last Monday of May.
This holiday gives U.S. citizens the opportunity to honor the men and women that have died while serving the country.
Over two dozen cities and towns across the country lay claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. The holiday was officially proclaimed on May 5, 1868, by General John Logan, National Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic.
The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. Waterloo, New York was officially declared as the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it’s difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day.
By 1890, Memorial Day was observed by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war).
Memorial Day is now observed in almost every state on the last Monday in May with Congressional passage of the National Holiday Act of 1971.
Across the United States, cities and towns host Memorial Day parades every year. The parades usually include military personnel and members of veterans’ organizations. Some of the largest parades take place in New York, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.
Facts About Memorial Day
1. Memorial Day wasn’t always celebrated the last Monday of May.
2. It is a legal requirement to observe a National Moment of Remembrance.
3. According to the AAA, more than 36 million of us will travel at least 50 miles from home to celebrate Memorial Day.
4. Red poppies are known as a symbol of remembrance, and it's a tradition to wear them to honor those who died in war.
5. On Memorial Day, the flag should be at half-staff until noon only, then raised to the top of the staff.
6. Sen. Daniel Inouye (from Hawaii) has tried to move Memorial Day to May 30th since 1989 instead of the last Monday in May.
7. 3:00 pm on Memorial Day is the “National Moment of Remembrance”.
8. Memorial Day unofficially marks the start of summer, while Labor Day unofficially marks the end.
9. The top ways U.S. citizens formally observe Memorial Day are to visit cemeteries and place flags or flowers on the graves of veterans, visit a memorial and to attend a parade to honor our fallen heroes.
Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country. ~ John F. Kennedy
Our deepest appreciation goes to all the
troops and their families that sacrifice so much for us as American citizens.
How do you observe Memorial Day? Please use the comments below to share your Memorial Day traditions.
