A History of Memorial Day
History of Memorial Day
After the end of the American Civil War, many places set aside a day to honor soldiers who died in combat. These observances finally merged to Decoration Day, honoring the Union dead, and several allied observances.
Supposedly the first Memorial Day was observed in 1865 by freed slaves on the historic racetrack in Charleston. The site was a former Confederate prison camp as well as a mass grave for Union soldiers who died in captivity. The freed slaves reinterred the dead soldiers of the Union from the mass grave in individual graves fenced in the cemetery, and built an entrance arch a Union graveyard explained. On 30 May 1887 slaves returned to the cemetery with flowers, so that the first decoration to create day. A parade with thousands of freed blacks and soldiers Union by patriotic singing and a picnic followed.
The official birthplace of Memorial Day is Waterloo, New York. The village is credited with starting the holiday because they observed the day on May 5, 1866 and continued the tradition every year, during previous ceremonies were sporadic.
Waterloo resident General Logan of the way was impressed the South honored their dead and decided to require the Union to a similar day. On 5 May 1868, the Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, a veterans' organization, Logan issued a proclamation stating that "Decoration Day" be observed nationwide. It has been observed for the first time on May 30 this year. The date was chosen because no battle had taken place on that day.
Many of the states in the US South refused to celebrate Decoration for lingering hostility towards the Union Army and there were very few veterans of the Union Army, who lived in the south.
the alternative name "Memorial Day" was first used in 1882, but was common until after World War II. It was declared the official name of federal law in 1967
On 28 June 1968, the Congress passed the Uniform Holidays Bill, which moved from their traditional dates to a specified Monday at three holiday to create a convenient three -day weekend. The change moved Memorial Day to the last Monday in May. Memorial Day has endured as a holiday, where most shops are closed because it marks the beginning of "summer vacation season."
Memorial Day Celebrations
How on July 4th most American families celebrate Memorial Day with a barbecue or picnic. Many sporting events also occur on the holiday, the most famous of his Indianapolis 500. Since this is a three-day weekend, many families go on short holidays. (The holiday begins the summer driving season). This usually means they visit relatives, attend his head to a national park, camp in the woods, or a beach when the weather is nice.
cities usually sponsor Memorial Day Parade in honor of those who have served in battle. The President holds a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington DC, and a national moment of remembrance occurs at 03:00 Eastern Time.
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