Why Is Memorial Day Celebrated?

Most people are aware of Memorial Day. On a designated day near the end of May, communities across the United States hold special ceremonies to honor the men and women who died in military action.

Some populations hold their ceremonies at a local cemetery, while others have established specific locations for this event or hold their ceremony on the courthouse lawn.

In any case, traditional Memorial Day observances include a representative of the military as featured speaker, musical selections from a high school band and the firing of a 21-gun salute by one of the area veterans’ organizations. A national observance is held in Washington D.C. as well, usually featuring military band and/or orchestra music.

This special day was first observed each year on May 30, regardless of the day of the week. However, the observance was changed to a Monday in late May to give people a three-day weekend. Some military organizations and other community groups want to return to this tradition because they feel the observance means less now. Memorial Day is now anticipated by many as a great weekend opportunity for a picnic, barbecue or beach activity.

Originally, the tradition of remembering those who died during military service began just after the Civil War in the United States. Some of the first observances were held at battlefield locations to draw attention to the sacrifice these military personnel made. The day for the ceremonies varied from one location to the next.

One of the key early memorial services was organized by black residents of the Charleston, South Carolina area (1865), according to research by David Blight of Yale University. But history records that the “official” beginning of the traditional Memorial Day was in Waterloo, New York. According to records, the community held a ceremony on May 5, 1866 and continued the tradition each year after that.

John A. Logan proclaimed Decoration Day in 1868, with the observance on May 30. Apparently that date was chosen because no battle is recorded as happening on that day. It took about 80 years for the Congress of the United States to officially declare Memorial Day a national holiday. In fact, the day was known as Decoration Day during those eight decades. That name came from the practice of literally decorating veterans’ graves with flowers and other mementoes.

The change from May 30 to a specific Monday took place by Congressional legislation passed in 1968. Other holidays were also affected, including George Washington’s Birthday and Veterans’ Day in November. Veterans Day reverted to the traditional November 11 just 10 years later.

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States established so that citizens will remember the men and women who died in military service. The day was first observed for Union Soldiers after the Civil War but eventually came to be a nationwide observance. The ceremonies now honor all who served in any military action.

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