Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a national holiday in the United States. It is also a state holiday in many states. The holiday honors troops who have died in past wars like World War I and the Korean War. It was founded by U.S. Army General John A. Logan, who fought in the Civil War and the Mexican–American War.
Memorial Day was first held in 1865 after the American Civil War. It was called Decoration Day at that time. The holiday was first called Memorial Day in 1882, and became a federal holiday in 1967. On June 28, 1968, the United States Congress made a law that said that the official Memorial Day holiday is May 30, but that Memorial Day was to be observed by federal employees as a paid holiday on the last Monday in May.
Memorial Day is thought of by many Americans as being the start of summer.
Memorial Day Media
1867 Decoration Day in Richmond, Virginia's Hollywood Cemetery
General John A. Logan, who in 1868 issued a proclamation calling for a national "Decoration Day"
1870 Decoration Day parade in St. Paul, Minnesota
Orphans placing flags at their fathers' graves in Glenwood Cemetery in Philadelphia on Decoration Day
Confederate Memorial Monument in Montgomery, Alabama
The United States Marine Band on Memorial Day
Memorial Day observances in small New England towns are often marked by dedications and remarks by veterans and politicians.