Memorial Day originally honored the Civil War dead and now honors all service members and veterans who died while in service to the United States during peace and war. This includes the 12 major wars the United States has fought, in addition to other conflicts.
Memorial Day was previously known as Decoration Day, although especially in the South, the observance was also commonly called "Memorial Day" from the very beginning, in the 1860s.
In 1865, one of the earliest Memorial Day commemorations, perhaps the very first, was organized by formerly enslaved people in Charleston, South Carolina, according to newspaper reports from that time. That was at least a year before other U.S. cities held similar events.
It wasn't until three years later, however, that the observance officially began, in May 1868. It was known as "Decoration Day" from the practice of using spring flowers to decorate the grave sites of men who died while serving in the Civil War.
Outside the nation's capital, the first official Decoration Day was May 30, 1868. At Arlington Cemetery, thousands of people gathered as flowers were placed on the graves of Union soldiers. Church members had spent days arranging the buds into wreaths, crosses and bouquets for the occasion. Black banners were wound around the pillars of the veranda to mark the solemn event.
John A. Logan, a former Civil War general who led an organization for Northern Civil War veterans, suggested the end of May as the time of year for the observance, possibly because flowers would be in bloom nearly everywhere across the U.S.
In 1919-20, after World War I, newspapers ran editorials calling for Decoration Day to also commemorate those killed in this Great War, not just those lost in the Civil War. Eventually, of course, the day grew to encompass all veterans and service members who lost their lives.
During the early 1900s, more and more people started to refer to Decoration Day as Memorial Day. But it wasn't until the 1960s that the name change became official.
Memorial Day was previously known as Decoration Day, although especially in the South, the observance was also commonly called "Memorial Day" from the very beginning, in the 1860s.
In 1865, one of the earliest Memorial Day commemorations, perhaps the very first, was organized by formerly enslaved people in Charleston, South Carolina, according to newspaper reports from that time. That was at least a year before other U.S. cities held similar events.
It wasn't until three years later, however, that the observance officially began, in May 1868. It was known as "Decoration Day" from the practice of using spring flowers to decorate the grave sites of men who died while serving in the Civil War.
Outside the nation's capital, the first official Decoration Day was May 30, 1868. At Arlington Cemetery, thousands of people gathered as flowers were placed on the graves of Union soldiers. Church members had spent days arranging the buds into wreaths, crosses and bouquets for the occasion. Black banners were wound around the pillars of the veranda to mark the solemn event.
John A. Logan, a former Civil War general who led an organization for Northern Civil War veterans, suggested the end of May as the time of year for the observance, possibly because flowers would be in bloom nearly everywhere across the U.S.
In 1919-20, after World War I, newspapers ran editorials calling for Decoration Day to also commemorate those killed in this Great War, not just those lost in the Civil War. Eventually, of course, the day grew to encompass all veterans and service members who lost their lives.
During the early 1900s, more and more people started to refer to Decoration Day as Memorial Day. But it wasn't until the 1960s that the name change became official.
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