For those of us who are Americans, tomorrow is the day that signifies to many the beginning of summer. We'll have the day off work and school. We'll get to go to barbecues, to the beach, to anywhere we feel free. This is because tomorrow we celebrate Memorial Day.
But how many of us know the true significance of Memorial Day? It is a national holiday for a reason, but, why? Memorial Day is the day that Americans honor those who have fallen serving our country. It is the day that we recognize the sacrifice that so many men and women have made so that we are free.
Memorial Day is celebrated the last Monday of every May. It is difficult to nail down exactly when Memorial Day started to be recognized. Many places and people in American had celebrations to honor those who had died during battle during the 1800s. But, it was General John Logan, the national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, who on May 5, 1868 stated there should be a Memorial Day. It was first honored on May 30, 1868, at Arlington Nation Cemetery, where they put flowers on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers.
In 1873, New York was the first state to recognize the holiday. The entire North had come to recognize the day by 1890. It took the South a bit longer. They waited until after World War I, as to begin honoring every soldier who died in battle, not just during the Civil War. Many Southern states to this day have a separate holiday to honor fallen Confederate soldiers. In 1971, the National Holiday Act was put into effect, resulting in the lovely three day weekend we so enjoy.
I know that I often take advantage of my day off without even pausing to think about why I am not at work. Unless you have lost a loved one in war, it is easy to forget why we celebrate the day. All Americans owe it to the ones who have lost their lives, and the ones who loved them, to spend a few minutes of the day remembering and honoring their sacrifice. This is why we now have the National Moment of Remembrance. At 3pm local time, we are all to take a moment and pay our respects to our country's fallen soldiers.
So whether you are at the beach tomorrow, or in your back yard enjoying a hamburger, let's all take a moment to remember why we have the day off. We live in a wonderful, free country, and that is because many people have died to keep it that way. Thank you to all of our soldiers, we will never be able to repay the debt you have paid, but will honor you forever.
Author's Note: Sources:
http://www.usmemorialday.org/
http://www.texasstartupblog.com/category/politics/ (picture)
