Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day is a day of remembrance for those who have died in service of the United States of America. The observance we now call Memorial Day was borne out of the Civil War and a desire to honor our dead. It was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic. His General Order No. 11 stated, “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.” The date was chosen because it wasn’t the anniversary of any particular battle.
Memorial Day originally honored only those lost while fighting in the Civil War. But during World War I the United States found itself embroiled in another major conflict, and the holiday evolved to commemorate American military personnel who died in all wars.
For years Memorial Day was observed on May 30, but in 1968 Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May. The change went into effect in 1971. The same law also declared Memorial Day a federal holiday.
Some Memorial Day rituals are still observed. The American flag should be hung at half-staff until noon on Memorial Day, then raised to the top of the staff. Since 2000, all Americans are encouraged to pause for a National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m. local time to voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence….
Benjamin Harrison said, “I have never been able to think of the day as one of mourning; I have never quite been able to feel that half-masted flags were appropriate on Decoration Day. I have rather felt that the flag should be at the peak, because those whose dying we commemorate rejoiced in seeing it where their valor place it. We honor them in a joyous, thankful, triumphant commemoration of what they did.
However you choose to honor our heroes — Happy Memorial Day.
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