A federal holiday, Memorial Day is celebrated on the final Monday in May. It was first celebrated by former African slaves in 1865 in Charleston, South Carolina. It was then called Decoration Day and the intention was to honor the Union side soldiers who had fought in the Civil War.
In 1866, the holiday started being celebrated in New York and nationwide celebration was promoted in 1868. In 1967, it was given the new official name and it was officially became a federal holiday in 1971. It was at that time that the day was switched from the original date of May 30th to the final Monday in May.
Since the time of World War I, the holiday has been used for honoring all Americans who passed away during wartime, rather than only Civil War soldiers. These days, the holiday is used to remember all loved ones who have died, not only military personnel. A lot of people go to visit graves on this day, for example.
In honor of the soldiers who have died in military service, many communities have parades and fireworks to celebrate the day. There is a national moment of remembrance that is supposed to take place at 3 in the afternoon, local time. The U. S. flag is also flown at half-staff until mid-day. A national memorial concert also takes place on the lawn of the Capitol.
These traditions aside, Memorial Day is now often thought of more as the start of summer than a day for remembrance. Some consider that this is at least partly due to the change from the original date. This three day weekend marks the start of barbecues and of trips to beaches for many. A lot of sales take place on this weekend. Since 1911, the Sunday of this final weekend has also been the day of the Indianapolis 500.
The school year is coming to a close for many at this time. For those in the colder states, the temperature is finally becoming warm enough to really enjoy being outdoors and maybe even swimming. With these things to look forward to, Memorial Day has become a beloved national holiday even if it is not always celebrated in the manner that was intended.
In 1866, the holiday started being celebrated in New York and nationwide celebration was promoted in 1868. In 1967, it was given the new official name and it was officially became a federal holiday in 1971. It was at that time that the day was switched from the original date of May 30th to the final Monday in May.
Since the time of World War I, the holiday has been used for honoring all Americans who passed away during wartime, rather than only Civil War soldiers. These days, the holiday is used to remember all loved ones who have died, not only military personnel. A lot of people go to visit graves on this day, for example.
In honor of the soldiers who have died in military service, many communities have parades and fireworks to celebrate the day. There is a national moment of remembrance that is supposed to take place at 3 in the afternoon, local time. The U. S. flag is also flown at half-staff until mid-day. A national memorial concert also takes place on the lawn of the Capitol.
These traditions aside, Memorial Day is now often thought of more as the start of summer than a day for remembrance. Some consider that this is at least partly due to the change from the original date. This three day weekend marks the start of barbecues and of trips to beaches for many. A lot of sales take place on this weekend. Since 1911, the Sunday of this final weekend has also been the day of the Indianapolis 500.
The school year is coming to a close for many at this time. For those in the colder states, the temperature is finally becoming warm enough to really enjoy being outdoors and maybe even swimming. With these things to look forward to, Memorial Day has become a beloved national holiday even if it is not always celebrated in the manner that was intended.
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