What is Memorial Day and Why Does US Observe This National Holiday?

Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, is the national holiday observed in the United States to honor soldiers who died while serving the nation.

According to the US Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Memorial Day became a national holiday in 1971 through an act of Congress, with its roots dating back to the era of the Civil War.

Memorial Day pays tribute to all military members who have died while serving in US forces.

Its Origins

The holiday’s origins can be traced back to local commemorations for soldiers with neglected gravesites during the Civil War.

The first observance that would later become Memorial Day took place in Charleston, S.C, USA News reported citing historian David Blight of Yale University.

It occurred at a former horse racing track that had been turned into a prison for Union prisoners by the Confederates.

One of the earliest Decoration Days occurred on April 25, 1866, in Columbus, Mississippi. Women decorated the graves of Confederate soldiers who died in the battle at Shiloh with flowers.

On May 5, 1868, three years after the end of the Civil War, the tradition of placing flowers on veterans’ graves continued with the establishment of Decoration Day by the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of Union veterans.

This tradition continues to thrive in cemeteries of all sizes across the country.

How the US celebrates it?

It’s a day of reflection and remembrance of those who died while serving in the U.S. military, according to the Congressional Research Service.

The holiday is observed in part by the National Moment of Remembrance, which encourages all Americans to pause at 3 p.m. for a moment of silence.

While originally dedicated solely to honoring Civil War soldiers, Memorial Day now encompasses all Americans who have served.

World War I marked the expansion of the holiday’s scope to include soldiers from other conflicts.

Various places in the North and the South claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day, with states like Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, and Pennsylvania among those asserting ownership of its origins, according to the US Department of Veterans Affairs.

Why is Memorial Day in May?

The timing of Memorial Day is believed to be influenced by Illinois U.S. Representative John A. Logan, a Democrat elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November 1858.

Logan, an officer during the Mexican War and a strong supporter of the Union, advocated for Memorial Day to coincide with the full bloom of flowers nationwide, as stated by the National Museum of the U.S. Army.

In 1888, Congress passed an act designating May 30 as a holiday in the District of Columbia, according to the U.S. Congressional Research Service. Since then, Memorial Day has been observed as the last Monday of May.

In 2000, the National Moment of Remembrance Act was signed into law by Congress and the President. This act created the White House Commission on the National Moment of Remembrance, which encourages individuals to pause at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day for a minute of silence.

What Biden said

US President Joe Biden said that the country can never fully repay the debt it owes these fallen heroes.

“But today, we vow to rededicate ourselves to the work for which they gave their lives, and we recommit to supporting the families, caregivers, and survivors they left behind,” he said in a White House press statement.

“This is always a day where pain and pride are mixed together.  To all those who are mourning the loss of a service member — including America’s Gold Star Families — we see you and grieve with you,” he added.

As per the National Moment of Remembrance, Biden encouraged all Americans to pause wherever they are at 3 pm local time on Memorial Day for a minute of silence to remember and honor those who have died in service to the nation.

(With agency inputs)