The Daily Seal

The History of Memorial Day

Bella Esposito & Paris Allen-Szalno, Daily Seal Student Writers

What is Memorial Day?

Memorial is an annual holiday, to remember and honor those who died fighting for our country. There are many ways we can honor those who died. 

• Take a moment of silence to honor those who have made an ultimate sacrifice  for our people.
• Try participating locally by attending memorial day events and ceremonies.
• Reflect by taking time to consider the values of courage, service, and sacrifice. 

When did it start?

Memorial day became an official holiday in 1971.Its original purpose was  first widely observed on May 30th, 1868 to decorate the graves of civil war soldiers. In the waning years of civil war, {1861-1865} and immediately afterward, communities in the north and south, black and white decorated soldiers’ graves with floral honorings on springtime “decoration days”. The practice of strewing flowers onto graves has been documented from classical Roman times to Western Europe in the nineteenth century.

There was a federal shift, The 1968 law (effective 1971) was designed to create a three-day weekend for federal employees. While often called decoration day, it was officially declared memorial day by the federal law in 1967. 

On May 5, 1868, the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), a politically powerful organization of Union veterans led by Major General John A. Logan — issued General Orders No. 11 or the “Memorial Day Act.” This issuance formally established “Memorial Day” as a Decoration Day on which the nation would remember its war dead and decorate their graves with flowers. One early memorial day account occurred in Boalsburg, PA, where a trio of women decorated the graves of fallen soldiers in October 1864.

 Another was held in Charleston, SC, where Black freedmen and White “Northern abolitionist allies” hosted an enormous and historically significant program on May 1, 1865, at the “Martyrs of the Race Course” cemetery where 257 Union dead were buried. The federal government continued to recognize Memorial Day through legislative actions. “The Congressional joint resolution approved May 11, 1950 (64 Stat. 158), has requested the President to issue a proclamation calling upon the people of the United States to observe each Memorial Day as a day of prayer for permanent peace and designating a period during each such day when the people of the United States might unite in such supplication.’’

What is the difference between veterans day and memorial day?

Although memorial day and veterans day are both patriotic holidays honoring the military, there is a significant difference. Memorial day, falls on the last Monday in May, honors the men and women who died fighting for our country. Memorial day is a solemn day full of respect and gratitude for those of who you loved. While Veterans Day is celebrated to thank people who have retired from being in the military. 

So next time you see someone in the military, thank them for their services to our nation.