Memorial Day is an American holiday that was established to honor the brave people who gave their lives to serve the United States of America. Whether you want to introduce your young ones to this important day or are interested in discovering more about the importance of this national holiday, our collection of informed facts will make the perfect introduction.
1. Origins: Memorial Day was originally called “Decoration Day” because of the tradition to decorate soldiers’ graves with flowers.
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2. Establishment Date: Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on May 5, 1868, by General John Logan, and was first observed on May 30, 1868.
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3. Civil War Connection: The holiday was established to honor soldiers who died during the Civil War.
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4. Federal Holiday Shift: In 1971, Memorial Day was declared a national holiday and moved to the last Monday in May as a result of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act.
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5. Moment of Remembrance: At 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day, a national moment of silence is observed.
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6. Flags at Half-Staff: On Memorial Day, the U.S. flag is flown at half-staff until noon, then raised to full staff for the remainder of the day.
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7. First Large Observance: The first large observance of Memorial Day was held at Arlington National Cemetery.
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8. Poppy Symbolism: Red poppies are recognized as the Memorial Day flower and are worn to honor those who died serving the nation.
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9. Poppy Inspiration: The idea of using poppies came from the World War I poem “In Flanders Fields,” written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae.
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10. Waterloo, New York: Waterloo, New York, was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1966.
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11. Many Birthplaces: Though Waterloo is the official birthplace, over 20 towns claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day.
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12. Not Always May: Memorial Day used to be observed on May 30, regardless of the day of the week.
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13. Changing Graves: Besides soldiers, there’s a tradition in some areas to decorate the graves of all family members during Memorial Day weekend.
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14. NASCAR Connection: The Indianapolis 500 car race is held on the Sunday preceding Memorial Day.
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15. Memorial Day Sales: This holiday weekend is known for being one of the biggest shopping weekends, second only to Black Friday.
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16. Concert Tradition: PBS hosts a Memorial Day concert on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol each year.
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17. Largest Cemetery Observance: The largest Memorial Day observance is at the Gettysburg National Cemetery.
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18. Unknown Soldiers: The Tomb of the Unknowns has been guarded nonstop, 24/7 since 1937.
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19. Boalsburg, Pennsylvania: This town also claims to have started the tradition of Memorial Day, stating it began there in 1864.
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20. Civil War Casualties: Over 600,000 soldiers died in the Civil War, prompting the creation of national cemeteries.
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21. Biker’s Tradition: Rolling Thunder, a non-profit group, arranges a motorcycle rally in Washington D.C. every Memorial Day to honor prisoners of war.
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22. Charleston Roots: One of the earliest Memorial Day ceremonies was held by a group of freed slaves in Charleston, South Carolina, just after the end of the Civil War.
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23. Picnic Day: Memorial Day unofficially marks the beginning of summer, making it a popular day for picnics and barbecues.
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24. Buddy Poppy Program: Veterans sell poppies to support the living veterans in need.
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25. National Memorial Day Parade: This parade in Washington D.C. started in 2004 and has been a key event every year since.
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26. Logan’s Order: General John Logan’s order for his posts to decorate graves in 1868 was the catalyst for the national holiday.
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27. Marseillaise of the Dead: The song “Taps” is often played at ceremonies on Memorial Day.
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28. Not a Universal Practice: Not all Southern states observed Memorial Day until after World War I because of its Civil War origins.
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29. Multiple Memorial Days: Some Southern states still have an additional and separate day for honoring the Confederate war deaths.
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30. WWI Expansion: After World War I, Memorial Day was expanded to honor all Americans who died in any war.
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31. Biggest War Casualties: World War II had the highest number of American casualties, with over 400,000 soldiers dying.
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32. American Revolution Count: Approximately 4,500 soldiers died during the American Revolution.
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33. National Cemeteries: There are 147 national cemeteries in the U.S. dedicated to soldiers.
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34. Presidential Tradition: Every year, the current U.S. president places a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknowns while “Taps” is played.
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35. First Memorial Day Order: The first recorded order for Memorial Day was given by General John A. Logan in 1868.
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36. Fashion Tradition: Traditionally, Memorial Day marked the first day it was appropriate to wear white clothing.
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37. Volunteer Gardening: Thousands of volunteers place American flags on graves in national cemeteries.
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38. A Day of Volunteering: Many Americans use Memorial Day as a day to volunteer in their communities.
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39. Decoration Day March: The first parade on Decoration Day had over 5,000 participants.
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40. Soldier’s National Monument: This monument at Gettysburg was dedicated on Memorial Day, 1869.
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41. First State to Recognize: New York was the first state to officially recognize Memorial Day in 1873.
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42. Federal Recognition: It wasn’t until 1971 that Memorial Day became an official federal holiday.
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43. Confederate Memorial Day: Some Southern states observe Confederate Memorial Day, where they honor soldiers who died fighting for the Confederate States.
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44. Changing Dates Controversy: The decision to move Memorial Day to the last Monday in May, rather than keeping it on May 30, was controversial.
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45. Multiple Bills: There have been bills introduced in Congress to return Memorial Day to May 30.
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46. End of WWII: Germany signed an unconditional surrender on May 7, 1945, ending World War II, but the U.S. observes the official end as Memorial Day.
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47. Honor Our Armed Forces Day: This day, celebrated on the third Saturday in May, precedes Memorial Day.
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48. All Wars Count: Approximately 1.2 million soldiers have died in all U.S. wars combined.
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49. Vietnam War Memorial: This wall in Washington D.C., listing the names of soldiers who died, is often visited on Memorial Day.
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50. Military Appreciation Month: The entire month of May is dedicated to appreciating the military, culminating in Memorial Day.
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51. Many Parades: On Memorial Day, there are more than 100 parades across the U.S.
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52. Flags In Tradition: Soldiers place around 230,000 flags on graves at Arlington National Cemetery every year before Memorial Day.
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53. Memorial Day vs. Veterans Day: While Memorial Day honors those who died while serving, Veterans Day honors all those who have served in the U.S. military.
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54. Presidential Proclamation: Every year, the president issues a proclamation asking Americans to pray for peace on Memorial Day.
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