Memorial Day History

Memorial Day used to be called Decoration Day and is set aside as a day of remembrance for those who have died fighting for the United States. There are conflicting reports as to the actual history of Memorial Day. Several towns and cities claim to have been the first to celebrate it, despite the fact that, in 1966, President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo, New York, as the official birthplace.

General John Logan, who was in charge of the Grand Army of the Republic, first declared the holiday on May 5, 1868. Despite the declaration on May 5^th, it wasn't actually celebrated until May 30, when flowers were put on the graves of Confederate and Union soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. For several years, it was a holiday to remember those who had died fighting in the Civil War.

New York was the first state to recognize the holiday in 1873 and by 1890 it was recognized by all the states in the North. The Southern states continued to celebrate Memorial Day on their own day, refusing to acknowledge the Northern official day, until after World War I when the holiday was changed to recognize all who have died fighting for their nation, rather than just those who died in the Civil War.

In the 1920s, poppies were used to commemorate Memorial Day, and they were sold and the funds donated to veterans funds. However, in recent history, some veterans have complained that the day is losing its meaning.

Despite the fact that the day is currently viewed as more of a three-day weekend and the start of summer, many towns hold parades. On the national level, flowers are still placed on every grave in Arlington Cemetery, and the President of the United States gives a speech. A special wreath is placed on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and around 5,000 people attend this event each year.