Memorial Day is a Federal holiday which honors American Servicemembers who have died while serving our country. AJM would like to provide you with some historic facts on just how this holiday came to be.
- It was originally called Decoration Day because it was a day that honored those that died during the Civil War. Friends and families would travel to the cemeteries and decorate their fallen family member’s graves in honor of them.
- In 1868, General John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic declared that the 30th of May is designated to leaving flowers and decorating the graves of the dead that died for their country.
- The federal government and President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo, N.Y. to be the official birthplace of Memorial Day in 1966.
- After World War I took place, Memorial Day started to become a day which did not just honor military soldiers that died in the Civil War, but instead all wars.
- In 1971, “Congress declared Memorial Day to be a national holiday celebrated on the last Monday of May” (“History.com”).
So from everyone here at AJM, we wish you all a Happy Memorial Day
Work Cited:
"History of Memorial Day." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2010. Web. 16 Jun 2010. www.history.com/topics/memorial-day-history.
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Above is a photo of the "Buddy Poppy" assembled by Disabled Veterans for distribution on Memorial Day with proceeds used to help Disabled Veterans.