The History of Memorial Day

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As is the case with many of our patriotic holidays, it is easy to forget what the foundation of Memorial Day is, and what it actually means to us as Americans, while you’re sitting by the pool celebrating a day off and looking ahead to your upcoming summer vacation. Just a bit of investigation and reflection reveals the historical reason for the holiday is much more than a three-day weekend that, symbolically, marks the beginning of the Summer. To the contrary, Memorial Day was established and set in place to be a solemn day of remembrance where we, who have greatly benefited by their sacrifice, honor everyone who has died serving in the American armed forces. The holiday, originally known as Decoration Day, started after the Civil War to honor the Union and Confederate dead.

While it’s unclear exactly where the holiday originated – Charleston, S.C., Waterloo, N.Y., Columbus, Ga. and other towns all claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day – the holiday, originally known as Decoration Day, started after the Civil War to honor both Union and Confederate soldiers who had died in the war. An event in Charleston, S.C., at that time and that may have been the beginning of our modern day Memorial Day, gives us a glimpse into the our struggle as a nation to rebuild our country after this bloody war: 257 Union soldiers had died in prison in Charleston during the Civil War and were buried in unmarked graves and, responding to what they saw as an egregious slight to those who had died, the town’s black residents organized a May Day ceremony during which they beautified and landscaped a proper burial ground to honor these soldiers.

In subsequent years, following the Civil War and these initial attempts to establish a day to honor the fallen, Memorial Day celebrations were scattered and looked differently, which is not that much of a surprise, in the North and South. It wasn’t until after World War II that the holiday gained a strong following in our country, being celebrated on May 30th each year. It was finally given national recognition and officially named Memorial Day in 1967, firmly establishing it as a national holiday. Lastly, in 1968 Congress passed the Uniform Holiday Act, in which they designated Memorial Day to be celebrated on the last Monday in May rather than May 30. This ensured a three-day weekend and gave the day its current status as the unofficial beginning of summer, making it a day for serious reflection combined with relaxation and fun.

Hopefully this brief walk through the history behind Memorial Day will add some solemnness and patriotic reflection to your Memorial Day as we all honor those who have paid the ultimate price, giving their lives so that we could truly say we live in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

We at EZ Rest Mattress Outlet honor all who have died serving in our American Armed Forces and also their families . Though it could never be enough or express our hearts fully, we humbly say “Thank you for your service and sacrifice!”