What is Memorial Day?
If you think that Memorial Day is the day the public pools open and families gather for picnics and stores have giant sales, you need to think again.
Memorial Day is actually a solemn holiday that started shortly after the Civil War in the United States. It was declared a Federal Holiday in 1971 by President Richard Nixon.
Back in the 1800s, people wanted to find a way to honor those who had given their lives in battle, so they decorated the graves of those lost in the Civil War. Although its a solemn holiday for some, Memorial Day isnt supposed to be sad all the time, and its okay to enjoy a family get together. But if your family prays before digging into the potato salad, remember those who gave their lives so you could be free. Thats what Memorial Day is all about.
When is Memorial Day? The traditional Memorial Day holiday is May 30; however it is observed on the last Monday of May. This year, Memorial Day is observed on Monday, May 29, 2006.
Other names for Memorial Day:
Decoration Day. Memorial Day is sometimes called Decoration Day because families decorate the graves of veterans with flowers and American flags.
Poppy Day. It became a custom for veterans and those who love them to wear bright red poppies to remember those who gave their lives for our country, as well as those who fought in wars, but survived and came home. Wearing a poppy is a way to show support of the Armed Forces.
Confederate Memorial Day. Some Southerners remember those who lost their lives fighting for the Confederacy in the Civil War, too. States such as Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, and Georgia pick days in April or May or June to celebrate Confederate Memorial Day. Texas observes Confederate Heroes Day on Jan. 19, Robert E. Lees birthday.
Memorial Day Mystery
Although everyone knows its important to remember and honor those who died in wars fighting for America, there are some arguments about when and where Memorial Day actually started.
Some people believe that the first Memorial Day was in Boalsburg, PA, when three women went to a local cemetery and put flowers on the graves of their loved ones who had died during the Civil War.
Other people believe that a ceremony held in Richmond, VA, on May 30, 1866, was the first Memorial Day remembrance.
Others believe the honor belongs to Waterloo, NY. There, a local drugstore owner in 1866 had the idea that all the shops in town should close for a day to honor those who had been killed or maimed during the Civil War. On May 5, the townspeople closed up shop and went to the cemetery to place flowers on the graves of dead soldiers.
After a lot of research, Waterloo, NY, was declared Birthplace of Memorial Day by the Federal Government in 1966.
How to Honor the Heroes in Your Community
There are many ways to remember those who have given their lives for this country.
Children can write letters to those serving in the Armed Forces, or can participate in putting flowers or flags at the graves of soldiers who have died.
A way to make others notice and remember the day is to have a bike parade in your neighborhood. Decorate your bike with patriotic streamers and flags and have a silent ride around your block.
Finally, everyone can participate in a National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m. (your local time) on Memorial Day. Spend one minute being quiet and thinking about the people who lost their lives so that we could be free.
Major General Jonathan Logans Proclamation of the first Memorial Day (excerpt)
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 and 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.
President George W. Bushs Prayer for Peace, 2001 (excerpt)
We stand as a nation that is strong and deserving of praise. Yet we are humbled, because we remember that the wealth of this nations heritage, the strength of its ideals, and the extent of its freedom came with a tremendous price. Those treasures were purchased with the lives of American service men and women, a cost borne prominently by several generations. We are humbled because so many bright futures, hopes, and dreams were sacrificed for the abundance of opportunities we now freely pursue.
We honor the final sacrifice of our service men and women by dedicating our own lives to peace and the defense of freedom. Let all of us commit this day, whether in public ceremony or in quiet reflection over a single grave, to remember them in fitting tribute.
By T.G. Rasmussen, from the Kidsville News! archives, and updated by Joy G. Kirkpatrick
