Memorial Day History: The Story Behind The Holiday

History.com - Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day because it was a time set aside to honor the nation's Civil War dead by decorating their graves. It was first widely observed on May 30, 1868, to honor the sacrifices of Civil War soldiers, by proclamation of General John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of former sailors and soldiers. On May 5, 1868, Logan declared in General Order No. 11 that:

The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.

During the first celebration of Decoration Day, General 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 buried in the cemetery.

Click here for the full story and more, from History.com.

REMEMBERING VETERANS ON MEMORIAL DAY:

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Comments

[Toni D Nixon]

12:36 PM on 05/31/2011

Toni D. Nixon, Ed.D

I find it interesting that this point seems largely overlooked and is widely available on line
(from Wikipedia)
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May.
Memorial_Day Formerly known as Decoration Day, which was first recorded to have been observed by Freedmen (freed enslaved southern blacks) in Charleston, South Carolina in 1865, at the Washington Race Course, to remember the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War. Today, what is now known as Memorial Day, commemorates all U.S. Service Members who died while in military service The recognition of the fallen was then enacted under the name Memorial Day by an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War Over time, it was extended after World War I to honor all Americans who have died in all wars.

[thoughtsofjoy17]

09:43 PM on 05/30/2011

My thoughts on the day. Hot dogs, parades, and ceremonies are nice, but I feel we're called to something more: http://thoughtsofjoy17.blogspot.com/2011/05/remembering-memorial-day-reflections.html

[ljmck]

03:56 PM on 05/30/2011

Vets in my day (I'm old) joined VFW or American Legion, but for today's warriors, such organizations probably look like a bunch of oldsters, besides which they exclude some people (those who haven't served overseas and those who are not citizens, to name a couple). I wouldn't think they'd seem very inviting to young people today.

What these groups did (and do) is provide a meeting place and an organization to lobby Congress. They helped with veterans issues. I'm not sure that today's advocacy groups provide the same camaraderie or individual service.

It will be sad if we civilians withhold our support for today's warriors because many of us do not support the wars. People serve for all kinds of reasons. We should just honor that they are serving their country as they think best, move beyond our own positions on the wars, and offer help where we can.

There is strength in numbers and in common cause. I hope new groups can be formed to meet the needs of today's warriors.

By the way, if you're a veteran, or a veteran's family member -- thank you.

[Mary Katzianer]

03:35 PM on 05/30/2011

IT'S SAD WHEN 85% OF AMERICANS GO OUT AND ENJOY THEMSELVE. THEY FORGET THE MAIN REASON WHY THEY ARE OFF. THOSE WHO SERVE FRO OUR FREEDOPMS , THOSE WHO DIED FOR OUR FREEDOMS. IF IT WAS CHRISTMAS THEY WOULD SHOP TILL THEY DROP. EASTER HAVE TO BUY A BASKET OF FUN FOR THE CHILDREN. BUT MEMORIAL DAY AND 4TH OF JULY THE TRUE MEANING ID FORGOTTEN!! FRREDDOM HAS A PRICE TAG AND IT IS ON THE DEATH OF THOSE WHO SERVE THIS COUNTRY WITH THEIR LIVES!!!!!!!!!1

[jonesengr]

03:28 PM on 05/30/2011

Please drop the Hero crap. As a veteran I suggest to you these men and women are not Hero's or extrodianary. They are common men/women who faced extrodianery challenges

[UH34D]

03:04 PM on 05/30/2011

To all my fellow Teufel Hundens here...Semper Fi on another solemn Memorial Day. Thanks for covering another Marines six including our son, also a Marine.

To our fallen fellow Marines, a toast to their souls, may they rest in peace and lets hope they're running around with Chesty.

To the families of my fellow Marine who have lost loved ones, my sincere condolences. Not a day passes where I do not think of those Marines I served with and who never again saw their families. It was an honor to have served with them and they will always be remembered by me regardless of what day it is.

[chimself]

03:03 PM on 05/30/2011

We probaly wouldn't be celebrating if it was not for the Confederate widows ,who started honering their dead shortly after thewar of nothern aggression.

[ljmck]

04:25 PM on 05/30/2011

Yeah, right, by all means raise divisive and partisan issues today, of all days. For shame.

[hank101]

03:03 PM on 05/30/2011

am a vet. 1957-1960. and i watched some what belwildred at the spectular tribute to vets. at
nascar claiming to honor all vets..while 300k vets are homeless, with minimal or no health care
and go hungry most nights. If all the whoplaw paid for to pay lipservice to vets. was serious.
nascar could have donated every dollar taken at charlotte speedway plus prize money to help
the people they claim to honor..until i see some kind of movement to realy honor the vets.
please stop pissing on my leg and tell me it raining..

[DeerPal]

02:58 PM on 05/30/2011

Last week I drove 300 miles to put a silk-flower wreath on my great great grandfathers grave...who had served in the Civil War, and left part of his nose on the battlefield... Last night I watched the Washington DC Memorial on OPB...and cried the whole time... Today my husband and I are watching the Civil War on the History Channel ... Just wondering what some of the rest of you are doing on this day meant to honor the war dead ... ??

[Trixforkid]

03:27 PM on 05/30/2011

What a wonderful and special way to spend Memorial Day. I like watching the Civil War as well. I am so grateful to those who gave their all, like your great great grandfather, for what we have today. I will definitely be spending today remembering those who have fallen.

[ljmck]

04:07 PM on 05/30/2011

I live 1500 miles from family members who served (CW, WWI, WWII, Vietnam), so I always take a few bunches of flowers to the cemetery near me and place them at graves that are marked as veterans but where flags or bouquets have not been placed. A friend suggested this to me a decade ago, and we used to go together.

When I was a kid at home, I was many times invited to play in a very small band that went to the cemetery every Decoration Day and Veterans Day and played a few marches and hymns. I miss that.

Hey, Dad, Grandpa, Great Uncle, Great-Grandpa -- thinking of you!

[Trixforkid]

02:48 PM on 05/30/2011

To all those who have died protecting our freedoms, thank you! An excerpt from the Gettysburg Address sums it up better than any of us could. "But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain..."

[Alfredo Villanueva]

01:20 PM on 05/30/2011

Read the article on yesterday's NYT about black soldiers and the creation of Decoration Day, a fact that disappeared during the Southern Reconstruction's rewriting of history to make heroes out of the traitors who took arms against their own country. As they are ready to do once more.

[Michael Bierman]

11:57 AM on 05/30/2011

Ralph De Mattia, I stand here in my house and deliver a crisp salute to you and all who
served through the 1960s, I love and respect everyone of you, and do know my anger is still deep at those who did not honor all my brothers and sisters when returning, Wishing you and all
the best of everything!!!

[mlaurel58]

12:07 PM on 05/30/2011

Thanks for saying that.

[ljmck]

04:32 PM on 05/30/2011

I am proud that I opposed the war in Vietnam. I did not then and do not today confuse that opposition with support for veterans. I understand that men and women who fought then did what they thought was right, just as I did. In doing so, we both honored valuable traditions and supported the country and its Constitution.

I do agree that it was wrong to make attacks on veterans in those days, but it was not wrong to oppose the war.

I trust that those who oppose wars and those who serve as warriors are all doing what they think best for their country. I support their right to choose!

[grn1]

11:23 AM on 05/30/2011

"It was first widely observed on May 30, 1868, to honor the services of Civil War soldiers"

Another lie here at hp-------------- it was to remember the dead MEMORIAL

It was to give pause to mens transgression and the cost of greed

[PATRICKXRAY]

12:57 PM on 05/30/2011

YOU ARE Wrong, , so be quiet, you know not what you speak!

[Alfredo Villanueva]

01:21 PM on 05/30/2011

actually, you don't know. Read the NYT's article of yesterday.

[jrp1947]

11:13 AM on 05/30/2011

Every man and woman who has put on the uniform to defend this country, whether they ever faced combat or not, knows they are saying to the world that they are willing to sacrifice their lives for the principles in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. We can honor those fallen heroes and those serving today by making sure no politician ever takes away those rights our comrades died to protect. Thank a living veteran, put flowers on the grave of one who has died, and take time to reflect on how much better your life is because of what they did in the past to give you the freedoms you have today. A simple truly heartfelt thank you goes a long ways.

[SIGARMS]

12:34 PM on 05/30/2011

Well said. Cannot believe you have 0 fans- You have one now:)

[Alfredo Villanueva]

01:24 PM on 05/30/2011

Defend from whom? No war has ever entered American territory!!!!!!! But you loove to go creating wars everywhere else. Defenders, or imperial aggressors? And i am not referring to the the World Wars.

[prestonsturges]

10:53 AM on 05/30/2011

This is not a day for politics. We must put side those petty slogans and the silly diatribes and pay attention to what is truly important. We owe so much to those who have served and are serving. As the line from the movie goes, "Lest we forget'. So, put side your childish rejoinders and come together and pray that we will continue to enjoy the Freedoms that so many have died to protect.

[edgebysuccess]

01:46 PM on 05/30/2011

Nice, prestonsturges!

Like Demi Moore's line in A Few Good Men: "...because they put their lives on the line and promise nothing will happen to you, 'not on my watch!'"

[DeerPal]

02:50 PM on 05/30/2011

Consider me a BIG fan ... You said it all in so few words... !!

[prestonsturges]

02:57 PM on 05/30/2011

Semper Fi!