On May 5, 1868, Maj. Gen. John A. Logan, leader of an organization for Civil War veterans, created a national day of remembrance. Decoration Day first occurred on May 30, 1868. He chose this day because he believed that flowers would be blooming all across the United States.

“With the choicest flowers of springtime, we should guard their graves with sacred vigilance,” said Logan. “Let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners. Let no neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic.” 

According to an article titled “The History of Memorial Day” on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) website, “During that first national commemoration, former Union [general] and sitting Ohio Congressman James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, after which 5,000 participants helped to decorate the graves of the more than 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers who were buried there.”

Decoration Day, now called Memorial Day, initially honored only service members lost while fighting in the Civil War. After World War I, the holiday evolved to serve as a remembrance for service members who died, regardless of the war that they fought in.

In 1966, Congress and President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo, New York, as the birthplace of Memorial Day. Previously, a ceremony on May 5, 1866 was held there that honored local veterans who fought in the Civil War. Businesses shut down for the day, and residents flew their flags at half-staff as a sign of respect and remembrance.

Memorial Day continued to be observed on May 30 for decades after its initial creation. In 1968, congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May. This is why the date for Memorial Day now varies from year-to-year, although it is on the same day of the week each year. The change created a three-day weekend for all federal employees, taking effect in 1971. This act also declared Memorial Day as a federal holiday.

Cities throughout the United States host Memorial Day parades every year. One of the largest parades takes place in New York City, which includes military personnel and veterans’ organizations.

Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting veteran cemeteries and memorial sites. Others celebrate the lives of those who have fallen with parties and cookouts with their friends and families.  

To ensure that our fallen service members are never forgotten, the National Moment of Remembrance encourages all Americans to pause at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day for a moment of silence.

Information for this article comes from the U.S. Officer of Veterans Affairs, https://www.va.gov/opa/speceven/memday/history.asp, and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), https://www.pbs.org/national-memorial-day-concert/memorial-day/history/.

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