Remembering the fallen

Did you know Memorial Day was first called Decoration Day?

Memorial Day is an occasion to honor and mourn those who laid down their lives in defense of the United States of America. This federal holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, has a long history, and it wasn’t always as we know it today. Here are 10 facts about Memorial Day and how it came to be.

Decoration Day

Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day, and was first observed on May 30, 1868, as a way to honor Union soldiers who had died in the Civil War. However, the idea behind it came from the South. Mary Ann Williams, whose husband died during the conflict, wrote a letter to a newspaper urging women to set aside a day to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers.

The end of May

Decoration Day was instituted by the Army’s commander-in-chief, General John A. Logan, and was quickly adopted by most states. There are several theories about why the date was chosen: some say Logan purposely picked a day that was not the anniversary of any Civil War battle, while others believe it was selected because it is the time of year when most flowers bloom.

National Cemeteries

During the American Civil War, the U.S. Congress passed an act to create military burial places for Union soldiers. By the end of that year, 12 national cemeteries had been established. Today, the National Cemetery System maintains 164 military burial sites, the most well-known being Arlington National Cemetery and Gettysburg National Cemetery.

Renaming

The term Memorial Day was first recorded in the 1880s and became increasingly popular after World War II. However, the holiday was not officially renamed until 1968, when the Uniform Monday Holiday Act moved its observance from May 30 to the last Monday in May.

A moment for remembrance

The institution of Memorial Day Weekend has been seen by some as a benefit to the travel, sports, and entertainment industries. Veterans' organizations have requested that the holiday be moved back to its original date, arguing that the long weekend undermines the day's original sentiment. In response, Congress passed the National Moment of Remembrance Act, which encourages people to pause at 3:00 p.m. for a moment of silent reflection and remembrance.

Poppies

Several English-speaking countries have adopted the poppy flower as a symbol of remembrance for fallen soldiers after World War I. This tradition was inspired by the poem In Flanders Fields, written by Canadian military doctor John McCrae, in which poppies are described as growing among the soldiers’ graves. In the United States, the poppy was originally associated with Veterans Day, but it is now primarily worn during Memorial Day Weekend.

The flag

The national flag flies at half-staff during periods of mourning. While special instances of mourning can be proclaimed by government authorities, remembrance holidays follow a set protocol. On Memorial Day, the U.S. flag is briskly raised to the top of the staff, then solemnly lowered to half-staff, where it remains until noon. At noon, it is raised again to full staff to honor the nation’s living heroes and those still serving.

The Unknown Soldier

One of the focal points of Memorial Day is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. This symbolic monument was established in 1921 and originally held the remains of an unidentified soldier who died in World War I. Later, unidentified soldiers from World War II and the Korean War were also interred at the site. A permanent military guard is stationed there year-round, honoring the sacrifice of all unidentified service members.

Memorial Wreaths

Wreaths are a common sight on Memorial Day, but where does the tradition come from? In 1992, Morrill Worcester, the owner of a wreath company in Maine, had a surplus of holiday wreaths. Wanting to put them to good use, he donated them to Arlington National Cemetery as a tribute to the fallen—a gesture that soon became an annual tradition. After a photo of the wreath-covered graves went viral in 2005, the nonprofit organization Wreaths Across America was established to help volunteers place wreaths on veterans’ graves across the country.

The start of the summer

Even though it is a day of remembrance, Memorial Day Weekend also marks the unofficial start of summer. The holiday often coincides with the end of the school year, and the warmer weather encourages families to gather for barbecues and cookouts, attend parades, and visit the graves and memorials of fallen soldiers.

Image: David Everett Strickler