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Memorial Day and Veterans Day are commonly mixed up. But they ARE different. Memorial Day observes and honors those who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. Veterans Day is celebrated annually on November 11, honors those who have served or are serving. There's also Armed Forces Day (celebrated on the third Saturday in May) that celebrates those who are currently serving in a branch of the military.
Here are some things you should know about Memorial Day.
- Memorial Day Was Unofficially Started by Women - Before the Civil War ended, women’s groups got together to decorate the graves of the soldiers who had passed away. On April 12, 1886, the Columbus Ladies Memorial Association in Columbus, Georgia, announced they would dedicate one day a year to decorating graves as a way to remember fallen soldiers.
- It Was Originally Called Decoration Day - The very first Decoration Day was celebrated on May 30, 1868, as the future president James A. Garfield gave a remembrance speech to thousands of onlookers at Arlington National Cemetery.
- It Wasn’t a Federal Holiday Until 1971
- Newly Freed Slaves Held One of the First Memorial Day Celebrations - On May 1, 1865, freed slaves in Charleston, South Carolina gathered with members of the US Colored Troops to bury and honor fallen Union soldiers. A crowd of 10,000 people formed a parade around an old race track, where they sang hymns and decorated graves.
- Memorial Day includes a National Moment of Remembrance - This year marks the 20th anniversary of the National Moment of Remembrance Act, which was signed by President Bill Clinton in 2000. The act asks all Americans to observe a national moment of remembrance at 3:00 p.m. local time on the afternoon of Memorial Day.
- Flags Are to be Flown at Half-Mast Until Noon
- Poppies Are a Symbol of Memorial Day
(BHG)