The History Behind Memorial Day
No one really knows who first began celebrating Memorial Day or what town it originated in. The organized mourning and celebration of fallen war heroes seems to have begun during the Civil War when so many of America’s young men died on their own soil. War widows often gathered together to grieve, sing, and support each other. General John Logan officially decreed a Memorial Day holiday on May 30th, 1868 and led a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. New York recognized Memorial Day as an official state holiday in 1873 and by 1890 it was recognized by all of the Northern States. At this time, though, Memorial Day was still a holiday to honor those who died in the Civil War, so the Southern states observed the holiday separately. But after World War I, Memorial Day became a holiday to remember all fallen soldiers and now almost every state in the union recognizes the holiday (though many Southern states still have separate days to observe the Civil War).
Memorial Day Traditions
In 1915, Moina Michael wrote a poem about fallen soldiers:
We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.
Ever since then, the red poppy has come to symbolize Memorial Day and the soldiers who have died in war. Red poppies are left at gravesites and many veterans’ organizations sell red poppies to benefit Veterans in need.
Another tradition was started by the 3rd U.S. Infantry: Every Memorial Day they place small American flags on every grave in Arlington National Cemetery. Many Boy Scout troops across the country now follow suit and place flags on soldiers’ graves in their own hometowns.
The unofficial song of Memorial Day is Taps, an old military ballad. Many people listen to this song on Memorial Day and it’s also often played at a soldier’s funeral. Click Here to read the lyrics and listen to the song.
What Can You Do on Memorial Day?
Memorial Day takes on extra meaning during war time. With so many of our young U.S. soldiers serving abroad and in very dangerous conditions, it’s hard to ignore this holiday. No matter your political views or how you feel about U.S. involvement in Iraq or Afghanistan, you have to understand the sacrifice that these men and women are making for our country.
Your family can join in the remembrances by buying red poppies from a Veteran’s organization or helping the Boy Scouts in your town place small American flags on graves. You can join in – or even organize – a Memorial Day parade or watch the National Memorial Day Concert on TV. But I think the most important thing your family can do this year is help the suffering families of fallen soldiers. Many people have lost loved ones in Iraq and Afghanistan and many of these soldiers were the sole bread-winners for their families. There are many organizations that have gathered their resources to help these families cope with the grief and the financial hardship. Find out if there are any organizations in your own hometown or contact one of these national organizations to see how you can help:
- Red Cross
- Armed Forces Relief Trust
- Gold Star Wives
- No Greater Love
- Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors
Memorial Day Internet Resources