The History of Memorial Day

Memorial day is of course May 31, and people should know that it’s more than just a day off from school (although, I’ll admit, I like having the day off). It’s a day to remember those who have served for our country. I decided to do some research on the day… There are a lot of claims for the start of Memorial Day, but the most common one is that lots of towns took time to honor dead soldiers back in the 1860’s, and all of these gatherings led to General John Logan’s official proclamation of the day back on May 5, 1868.

The first Memorial Day was observed May 30, when flowers were laid at the graves of Union and Confederate Soldiers at Arlington Cemetery of that same year. The first state to officially recognize the day was New York in 1873. By the 1890’s, all of the Northern states had officially recognized Memorial Day, but the Southern States refused to do so. They recognized their dead on separate days until after World War 1 (then everyone started not just honoring soldiers who died in the Civil War, to soldiers who died in any war) it became a National holiday (celebrated by all states on the last Monday in May) with the National Holiday Act of 1971.

“I like to remember my dad,” Sophomore Derrick Johnson said, on who he likes to remember on Memorial Day. “He served in the military but didn’t get in the war, he just stayed in South Korea.”

“My great grandfather fought in World War II,” Freshman Karidia Shelby said.

My dad loves to tell me about my grandfather. He served during World War II, and also fought in Pearl Harbor when it was attacked. So I feel very proud of him and something to hold on to.

So is it really that important?

“It gives us time to celebrate people in the military (serving our country),” Johnson said. “I feel that it is important because so much has changed (over the years), in good ways and if it wasn’t for those people who knows what it could be like so taking a day out to remember them is the least we can do.”

I agree. Soldiers have and still are giving their lives for this country. Without them, I guarantee you there is no U.S. There is probably no place for immigrants to go to get away from their hostile countries (if they come from hostile countries, anyway). We as citizens would not be protected, and not have as good a life as we have now.

So please take at least some of Memorial Day to honor those that have given their lives for our country, and are still serving our country.