Growing up I was always told two things about Memorial day. First: Memorial day is the day we remember and honor the men and women who gave their lives in service in the arm forces. Second: It is the unofficial start of Summer.
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Now I was not one to pay much attention in school when they were teaching history but I have always been curious as to how Memorial came to be and thanks to History.com I was able to figure that out.
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Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day. The holiday came to be in the years following the Civil War and officially became and federal holiday in 1971.
After the Civil war ended in the years following several various towns and cities across the U.S. started holding tributes in the springtime for the countless fallen soldiers by decorating their graves.
But it wasn't till 1966 when the federal government declared it a national holiday.
Now Memorial Day formally known as Decoration Day was founded by General John A. Logan, a leader of an organization for Northern Civil War veterans. On May 5th, 1868 he called for a national day of remembrance on May 30th.
Now and interesting fact was he choose that day because he it wasn’t the anniversary of any particular battle.
Now Decoration Day was originally was for remembrance of those lost in The Civil War, but as more conflicts and wars happen in the years to come around the wold that The United States were involved in. The holiday evolved to commemorate all American military personnel who died through out the years.
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