The History of Memorial Day - Part 1

The purpose of Memorial Day is to remember those who died while serving in our nation's armed forces.  It is to remember those women and men who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our nation and for our freedom. 

Memorial Day observances in the United States began in the 1860s as a way to honor those that died in the Civil War.  These were localized events and occurred on various dates.  At that time it was called Decoration Day as the graves of soldiers were decorated with flowers.  By 1882, the term Memorial Day began to be used, and in 1967 Memorial Day became the official holiday name. 

36 U.S. Code § 116 - Memorial Day says in part, "It is essential to remember and renew the legacy of Memorial Day, which was established in 1868 to pay tribute to individuals who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the United States and their families...greater strides must be made to demonstrate appreciation for those loyal people of the United States whose values, represented by their sacrifices, are critical to the future of the United States..the relevance of Memorial Day must be made more apparent to present and future generations of people of the United States through local and national observances and ongoing activities..."

As we look forward to Memorial Day, let us intentionally set aside a few moments of our day to remember those brave men and women that gave their lives for us and our nation.  Let us make it apparent to friends and family the relevance of this day and demonstrate appreciation for those who made the ultimate sacrifice.