After Civil War, Memorial Day Was Created

In the United States, there are several holidays and observances that honor the armed forces. Among those is Memorial Day. Originally called “Decoration Day” Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May to honor those who died while serving in the U.S. Military. This year Memorial Day is Monday, May 29. The holiday always falls on the last Monday of May. Memorial Day is a federal holiday. It is one of 11 permanent federal holidays in the U.S. Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day and commemorates those who died serving the U.S.  While the holiday’s origins are not exact, it did start after the Civil War. In 1868, General John Logan sent out an official order which designated May 30 as a day of remembrance for those who died serving during the Civil War. On the first Decoration Day, 20,000 graves at Arlington Cemetery were decorated and future President James Garfield gave a speech. In 1890, all northern states recognized Decoration Day as a holiday. However, Southern states chose to honor those who died in the Civil War on separate days. These differences continued until after World War I, when the holiday changed to honor Americans who died fighting in any war, not just the Civil War. The Uniform Monday Holiday Act changed the date of Memorial Day from May 30 to the last Monday in May. This act also established President’s Day on the third Monday in February (formerly celebrated on Feb. 22).