The Importance of Memorial Day

Memorial Day, which falls on the last Monday of May, commemorates the men and women who died while serving in the American military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades. Unofficially, at least, it marks the beginning of summer. For my family, we have always celebrated Memorial Day. Usually we do this by visiting the cemetery and placing flowers on the grave of my mother’s parents. A few years we have even participated in the Memorial Day ceremonies at the cemetery, which include solemn prayer sessions, a flag ceremony, and a twenty-one gun salute. Memorial Day has always been an important part of our family because it symbolized a day where we would gather together, remember those who we’ve lost, and celebrate the coming of summer.

Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day because it was a time set aside to honor the nation's Civil War dead by decorating their graves. It was first widely observed on May 30, 1868, to commemorate the sacrifices of the innumerous soldiers who died during the bloodiest conflict to that time in American history, by proclamation of General John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of former sailors and soldiers. On May 5, 1868, Logan declared in General Order No. 11 that:
The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.
During the first celebration of Decoration Day, General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, after which 5,000 participants helped to decorate the graves of the more than 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried in the cemetery. This 1868 celebration was inspired by local observances of the day in several towns throughout America that had taken place in the three years since the Civil War. In fact, several Northern and Southern cities claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day, including Columbus, Miss.; Macon, Ga.; Richmond, Va.; Boalsburg, Pa.; and Carbondale, Ill. In 1966, the federal government, under the direction of President Lyndon Johnson, declared Waterloo, N.Y., the official birthplace of Memorial Day. They chose Waterloo—which had first celebrated the day on May 5, 1866—because the town had made Memorial Day an annual, community-wide event during which businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of soldiers with flowers and flags.
By the late 1800s, many communities across the country had begun to celebrate Memorial Day and, after World War I, observances also began to honor those who had died in all of America's wars. In 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday to be celebrated the last Monday in May. (Veterans Day, a day set aside to honor all veterans, living and dead, is celebrated each year on November 11.) Today, Memorial Day is celebrated at Arlington National Cemetery with a ceremony in which a small American flag is placed on each grave. Also, it is customary for the president or vice-president to give a speech honoring the contributions of the dead and lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. About 5,000 people attend the ceremony annually.

One of the more popular sights on Memorial Day is the American flag flying at half-staff. Historians say practices like this one and the singing of the national anthem at various events are part of what many of them call a patriotic revival that peaked in the 1930s and during the years of World War II. In 1923 the American Legion led a group of various organizations, including the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, in establishing approved practices for handling of the American flag, and the specification of flying the flag at half-staff until noon on Memorial Day derives from this venture. One of the most interesting ways to honor members of the military on Memorial Day does not have to involve any narrative, as silence can be extremely powerful. For example, at various memorial sites throughout the U.S. visitors will often see a member of the armed forces standing vigil over the site. The completely still and silent soldier conveys respect and honor without the use of words. This is one of the key aspects of Memorial Day…honor.

Monuments, such as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, have changed the way people view wars and those soldiers involved in them. There is no place on the Vietnam Memorial where there is narrative that describes the war; it is meant entirely to focus on the individuals who died. This helps to convey a sense of connection. The black granite, mirrored and polished surface reflects your own image as you are reading through the names of those who died. The wall is a physical object that connects you with these fallen soldiers. This connection is conveyed with the idea of compassion versus pity. In compassion, you can actually understand yourself in that person's place, or you can understand yourself in the place of their families, which is a big part of memorialization. As I’ve said before, my father served in Vietnam, and sometimes the pain I see in his eyes when he talks about the war means compassion within myself. It is hard not to feel compassionate about anyone who has faced the horrors of war. This is another key aspect of Memorial Day…compassion.

Another tradition that has become more mainstream is for people to personalize these public monuments. Family members often bring photographs, flowers and personal items to these memorials and place them under the name of their loved one. That kind of personalization is easily understandable in the case of an individual gravesite belonging to a family, but we've figured out ways of starting to do more of that with these public monuments. In many cases, these memorials, especially when one goes back to wars before Vietnam and Korea, are the only things that people have to remember their loved ones.

So, remember the importance of Memorial Day not just as a day off of work, but as a day to remember those who have fought and died to make sure you have a place to take a day off of work in peace. When looking for ways to honor fallen military on Memorial Day, one of the best things a person can do is something that includes a visible sign of respect. I would suggest visiting a military cemetery and placing flowers on a grave that looks like it has not been visited so those individuals are not forgotten. Following those lines, visit any cemetery and do the same no matter if that person served in the military or not. Attend a Memorial Day ceremony anywhere and you will probably find a good place to show your honor and compassion for our fallen soldiers. Don’t forget the true meaning of this important holiday.