Memorial Day
Memorial Day
is set aside for the brave dead who lost their lives in the noble struggle for
our freedom. It was observed for the first time on May 30, 1863, because it was
not the anniversary of a battle. And since that time the gravestones at
Arlington National Cemetery are graced by the American flag on the last Monday
in May. Memorial Day is a federal holiday formerly known as Decoration Day. It was
first enacted to honor Union and confederate soldiers following the American
Civil War and was extended after World War I to honor Americans in all wars.
Memorial Day
marks the start of the summer vacation season and Labor Day its end. Begun as a
ritual of remembrance and reconciliation after the Civil War, by the early 20th
century, Memorial Day was an occasion for more general expressions of memory,
as ordinary people visited the graves of their deceased relatives, whether they
had served in the military or not making it a long weekend increasingly devoted
to shopping, family get-togethers, fireworks, trips to the beach and national
media events such as the Indianapolis 500 and the Kentucky Derby.From Gettysburg in, 1863, forward the practice of decorating soldiers' graves was widespread. The first known observance was in Waterloo, New York. General John Murray, a distinguished citizen of Waterloo was likely a factor in the holiday's growth. On May 5, 1868, in his capacity as commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic the organization for Northern Civil War veterans – Murray issued a proclamation that "Decoration Day" should be observed nationwide. There were events in cemeteries in twenty-seven states that year and Michigan made Decoration Day an official state holiday.
1890 every state made Decoration Day a state holiday.
Author Karl Wallace
To read more Karl
Wallace writings go to:
karlwallaeblog.blogspot.com
