For many people, Memorial Day means the beginning of summer: grilling out, going out on a boat or heading “up North” to spend time with friends and family.
What many fail to recognize, however, is the real purpose of the holiday — honoring the men and women who died in service of our country.
Memorial Day is not a ‘happy’ holiday
Before we can dive into how this country has strayed from the true meaning of Memorial Day, we first have to look at the history of the holiday. How did we get here?
People in the U.S. have been recognizing Memorial Day since 1868, when Gen. John Logan sought a way to recognize the soldiers who died in the Civil War. The first commemoration took place that year on May 30 at Arlington National Cemetery.
At the time, officials “went about the grave sites of union soldiers and placed flowers there to remember them,” said Paul D’Elia, founder of the Memorial Day Foundation, a nonprofit that aims to increase “patriotic awareness and respect” for the holiday.
“So by putting flowers on the graves for Memorial Day, as people walked around, they realized there was some significance to this day,” D’Elia added. “This was the day to remember the soldiers who gave their life in the Civil War.”
Back then, the holiday was referred to as Decoration Day, rather than Memorial Day. And for the next half-century, the name stuck, and the recognition always fell on May 30.
However, after World War I, Congress passed an act declaring Decoration Day a formal holiday and renaming it Memorial Day, recognizing all fallen troops rather than just those from the Civil War.
A 1968 law changed the observance of several holidays, including Memorial Day, to Mondays. The idea was to give federal employees three-day weekends.
Is Memorial Day losing its meaning?
In the years since its inception, however, Memorial Day has slowly transformed from a simple, somber holiday recognizing those who have fallen into a fun kickoff for summer.
We see Memorial Day sales at some of our favorite stores, kids use it as a benchmark for the end of the school year, and many simply get excited to celebrate a three-day weekend. That’s not to say those things are bad — Americans can still enjoy the time off, visit with friends and family, and use the opportunity to be outside.
But it’s important to remember why this day exists.
“The real heroes are not with us, and I think we should not think so much about having barbecues, etc.,” Harold Radish, a prisoner of war during World War II, told the Memorial Day Foundation. “It’s OK to have them, but while you have them, think of the people in your family that served before you did.”
Attend a Memorial Day parade, visit a military cemetery and place some flowers down, or just think about our fallen soldiers for a few minutes.
And if you want to formally observe the holiday, the Office of Veterans Affairs has compiled a list of events across all 50 states, so take a peek and find one near you.
“I welcome everyone across the country to join us at our national cemeteries in honoring the brave men and women who gave their lives protecting our freedom and our way of life,” Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Sam Brown told Straight Arrow. “As we mark the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, the sacrifices of these heroes remind us that liberty is never free and must be cherished and protected by every generation.”
Honoring Memorial Day for why it was established
In a YouTube video sent to Straight Arrow, D’Elia pushed for continued recognition of the holiday, saying the remembrance is “important.”
“This country wouldn’t be what it is today if it weren’t for the sacrifices of our soldiers and our men and women from the Revolutionary War up till today,” D’Elia said. “I think it’s very important that we continue to advocate for respect and admiration for Memorial Day and for its main purpose.”
In an email to Straight Arrow, the Memorial Day Foundation said the key to keeping the spirit of Memorial Day alive is simple.
“It starts and ends with education,” the foundation said. “One of the pillars of the Memorial Foundation is education on what is Memorial Day and how should someone observe Memorial Day.”
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