Memorial Day
Or Decoration Day, as it used to be called, began in a variety of places throughout the parts of our country impacted by the Civil War. Initially, it was held on different days within different communities. Questions exist as to when and where the first ceremony was held. However, all ceremonies began shortly after the end of the Civil War. Each ceremony was established to mourn and honor those who had fallen in battle during that conflict. A few of those individual ceremonies continue to this day.
Our national ceremony was established in 1868 by the head of the Grand Army of the Republic, Maj. Gen. John A. Logan. Maj. Gen. Logan declared May 30th as Decoration Day. President Ulysses S. Grant presided over the first major observance of this event at Arlington Cemetery. After WWI, Decoration Day was expanded to include all fallen U.S. Service personnel.
From 1868 through 1968, Decoration Day was celebrated on May 30th. In 1968 Congress declared it a national holiday and established the official date of celebration as the last Monday in May. This created a 3 day weekend for federal employees. In 1971, Memorial Day, as we now know it, became an official holiday to honor those fallen in battle.
Over time, many organizations and some businesses also closed their doors and gave their employees a three day weekend as well.
Some communities and families extended the act of decorating the graves of soldiers fallen in battle to include decorating the graves of all family members. For other families and communities, Memorial Day became merely a day to celebrate the beginning of summer via picnics, parades and other celebratory activities.
In 1991 in order to recapture the significance of the date, Congress passed and President Bill Clinton signed into law the National Moment of Remembrance Act, which took effect in 2000. This act asks all Americans to pause from their celebrations for one minute at 3:00 p.m. local time “to honor the men and women of the United States who died in the pursuit of freedom and peace.” (114 STAT. 3078, PUBLIC LAW 106-579—DEC. 28, 2000 36 USC 116 note, Sec 2, (5).)
Today, our country is once again deeply divided. Polarized politics color many non-political issues. Some are predicting another civil war. However, such a war is not inevitable. We've come together in the past. We can do so again. So please set politics aside and recognize many ways exist to solve the same problem. Find common ground and respectively listen to one another's perspective. Perhaps that will open the door to a solution better than either side had considered before.
Please take a moment today to stop and think about the price many people have paid for peace and freedom. Honor those who have fallen. Respect and care for those still living.
Thank you and have a great day!
Updated September 26, 2022.
