Latest news with #GrandArmyoftheRepublic
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Memorial Day: How it came to be, and how it evolved
WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — While the federal holiday can be a time for families to get together, barbeque and enjoy the newly opened pools, Memorial Day holds significant history. The remembrance day brought together North and South regions, communities of all races, after the loss of lives during the Civil War and the following world wars. There are different historic accounts as to the technical origins of the holiday. However, Memorial Day, originally called 'Decoration Day,' became most widely known after it was established in 1868 by Grand Army of the Republic Commander-in-Chief John A. Logan, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Road closures in DC for National Memorial Day Parade After the Civil War, which ended in 1865, fallen servicemembers would periodically have their graves decorated with flowers. On May 5, 1868, the 'Memorial Day Act' was issued by Logan and dedicated as a Decoration Day for the war dead. Women played a part in the advocacy of a commemorative holiday. The idea of honoring the graves of fallen Civil War servicemembers began in Columbus, Georgia, after their city cemetery was damaged. A Ladies Memorial Association's efforts to improve it led to a media campaign in which Secretary Mary Ann Williams published a letter in the local newspaper on March 11, 1866. War memorials draw large crowds to the National Mall Memorial Day weekend The letter advocated 'to set apart a certain day to be observed…and be handed down through time as a religious custom of the country, to wreathe the graves of our martyred dead with flowers.' Their proposed date was April 26, 1866. However, the Grand Army of the Republic ultimately placed the ceremonial observation on May 30 to provide enough time for a variety of springtime flowers to be in bloom. At a time when the country was adjusting to the aftermath of the Civil War, the holiday allowed a sense of camaraderie. In 1873, New York became the first state to officially recognize the holiday, and the remaining Union states recognized Decoration Day by 1890. Decoration Day became increasingly known as Memorial Day over the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries as an informal patriotic holiday, according to Veterans Affairs. After World War I, the event was expanded to include deaths in all American wars. Legislation enacted in 1968 — going into effect in 1971 — designated Memorial Day a national holiday and moved it from May 30 to the last Monday in May. As it currently stands, the holiday is now designed 'to observe Memorial Day by praying, according to their individual religious faith, for permanent peace,' according to Cornell Law School. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Time Business News
26-05-2025
- General
- Time Business News
Honoring Sacrifice: Observing Memorial Day 2025
As the unofficial start of summer, Memorial Day 2025, observed on Monday, May 26th, once again beckons Americans to pause from their everyday routines and engage in a profound act of remembrance. Far more than just a long weekend or a time for outdoor gatherings, this federal holiday stands as a solemn tribute to the courageous men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the United States military. It is a day to honor those who laid down their lives in defense of the nation's freedoms, ensuring their legacies are never forgotten. The origins of Memorial Day are deeply rooted in the aftermath of the American Civil War, a conflict that claimed more lives than any other in U.S. history. In the years following 1865, communities across the devastated nation began holding springtime tributes to their fallen soldiers, decorating their graves with flowers and reciting prayers. This tradition led to the holiday's original name: Decoration Day. While numerous towns and cities claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day, the first large-scale observance was held on May 30, 1868, at Arlington National Cemetery, led by General John A. Logan, head of the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of Union veterans. On that day, nearly 5,000 participants decorated the graves of 20,000 Civil War soldiers. In 1966, the federal government officially recognized Waterloo, New York, as the holiday's birthplace, noting its annual, community-wide observance that saw businesses close and residents decorate soldiers' graves with flowers and flags. After World War I, the scope of Decoration Day expanded to honor all American military personnel who died in combat, across all U.S. wars. In 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a federal holiday, to be observed annually on the last Monday of May, creating the long weekend we observe today. This legislative change recognized the day's transformation into a broader remembrance of all those who died in service. Memorial Day is marked by a blend of solemn reflection and communal gathering, with various traditions observed across the country. One of the most poignant customs is the display of the American flag at half-staff until noon, symbolizing the nation's mourning for its fallen heroes. After noon, the flag is raised to full staff, representing the resilience of the nation and the enduring spirit of those who have served. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries and memorials, laying flowers or small American flags on the graves of service members. Arlington National Cemetery, in particular, hosts a profound 'Flags In' ceremony, where soldiers of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment place flags on over a quarter-million graves. These visits are a powerful reminder of the personal sacrifices made by military families and the lasting impact of their loved ones' service. Across the nation, Memorial Day parades are held in towns and cities, featuring marching bands, veterans' organizations, and active military units. These parades often include speeches that honor the sacrifices of service members and emphasize the importance of freedom. Simultaneously, numerous memorial services and commemorative events take place, often including the playing of 'Taps,' the laying of wreaths, and moments of silent reflection. A nationally recognized tradition is the National Moment of Remembrance, which encourages all Americans to pause for a minute of silence at 3:00 p.m. local time to reflect on the sacrifices made by fallen heroes. This collective act of gratitude unites the nation in a shared moment of tribute. While the solemn purpose of Memorial Day remains paramount, the long weekend has also become the unofficial start of summer. Families often gather for barbecues, picnics, and outdoor activities, enjoying the freedom that the fallen bravely fought to protect. Many businesses offer special sales and promotions, tapping into the increased travel and spending that accompanies the holiday weekend. However, amidst these festivities, the core meaning of the day is consistently reinforced through media coverage, community events, and personal acts of remembrance. It's important to differentiate Memorial Day from Veterans Day, another federal holiday that honors military service. Memorial Day specifically commemorates those who died in service to the United States military. It is a day of mourning and remembrance for the ultimate sacrifice. In contrast, Veterans Day, observed every November, honors all veterans, including those still living, acknowledging their service and contributions to the nation. Both holidays are crucial, but their distinct purposes ensure that the memory of fallen heroes receives its dedicated observance. As Memorial Day 2025 is observed, the nation is called to reflect on the immense cost of freedom and the valor of those who paid it. The day serves as a powerful reminder that while the world continues to evolve, the sacrifices of military personnel remain timeless and profoundly impactful. Through solemn ceremonies, quiet reflections at gravesites, and shared moments of national remembrance, Americans ensure that the lives and legacies of their fallen heroes are perpetually honored. It is a day that transcends mere tradition, serving as a vital annual reaffirmation of gratitude, patriotism, and the enduring values for which so many have given their all. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
American Military News
26-05-2025
- General
- American Military News
Memorial Day was created because Civil War veterans fought for it
May 26—This story was originally published in May 2021. There are nearly 150 Civil War memorials in more than 130 cities and towns across Maine, honoring the approximately 9,400 Mainers who died in the war and the veterans who survived, as well as the more than 360,000 other Union soldiers who died nationwide. These memorials can fade into the background as people go about their lives. Even fewer people may notice the five-pointed star that adorns the majority of Maine's Civil War memorials. The star isn't a simple decoration — it's the emblem of the Grand Army of the Republic, the fraternal and advocacy organization composed of Civil War veterans, founded just a few years after the war ended. In many ways, it was the precursor to organizations like the American Legion and the VFW. And as a national organization with considerable political clout, it was largely responsible for making Memorial Day a federal holiday and for the creation of the vast majority of Maine's Civil War memorials. 'You can honestly say that if there was not a Grand Army of the Republic, we would not have had Memorial Day as a federal holiday as early as it happened,' said Brian Swartz, a Bangor author and Civil War historian. 'There might have been some local efforts, but [it was] really the first veterans organization to really flex its political muscle.' The Grand Army of the Republic was founded in 1866, largely in response to the poor treatment by the government of Civil War veterans, most of whom did not receive a pension nor medical care once the Department of War demobilized the military in 1865. 'These were like veterans coming back from Vietnam. Their families didn't understand the experiences they'd been through and endured,' Swartz said. 'These men were brothers to each other. They'd watched people they had very close friendships with die in battle. And they were receiving no help at all.' Aside from their work to ensure proper care and compensation for war veterans, among the first efforts the organization put its muscle behind was the creation of Memorial Day. In 1868, the organization's commander-in-chief John Logan proclaimed May 30 as the day Americans would pay tribute to war casualties, missing-in-action and deceased veterans. Though there was a long tradition of decorating the graves of war dead, the 1868 proclamation was the first national recognition of a specific day as a day to remember the dead. From 1868 until 1970, it was celebrated on May 30. That year, the date was changed to the last Monday in May to allow for a three-day weekend, a move that some veterans thought cheapened the solemnity of the occasion. In Maine, one of the major projects of the state and local Grand Army of the Republic posts and their associated women's auxiliaries was to raise money for and build Civil War memorials. The majority of these monuments were erected between 1870 and 1920, and vary widely in size and style. Some are simple granite obelisks, like the town of Hermon's memorial now located near Hermon Elementary School, or the Hallowell monument. Some show a soldier standing proudly, as in the towns of Bath, Blue Hill, Caribou and Corinna. And some are unlike any others, like the memorial at the Grand Army of the Republic lot at Mount Hope Cemetery in Bangor, which features a reconstruction of a Civil War-era fort and several cannons. 'These memorials also served as a way for Civil War veterans to remember the friends they lost that are still down there,' Swartz said. 'There are many, many Mainers who went into unmarked graves down south. We'll never find them.' Among the organization's other major projects was advocacy for the creation of a medical facility for veterans in Maine. In part through their work, the country's first veterans facility, Togus, was developed in the town of Chelsea. By the 1940s, membership had dwindled. Maine's last surviving Civil War veterans were Melvin Jellison of Clifton and Zachary McLaughlin of Phillips, both of whom were Grand Army of the Republic members and who died within a few months of each other in 1947. With the death of the country's last surviving Civil War veteran in 1956, the Grand Army of the Republic was dissolved. The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War was its heir, and that organization still has around 6,400 members in 2021. Though it's been 65 years since the last Civil War veteran was alive, the work of the Grand Army of the Republic is still visible in every corner of the nation — from the countless organizations that seek to serve veterans that it inspired, to the war monuments that dot the landscape, to the fact that we observe Memorial Day in the first place. 'Someone might see that five-pointed star, and they won't know what that means,' Swartz said. 'But it symbolizes the brotherhood the boys felt, and the work they did to ensure their legacy was never forgotten.' © 2025 the Bangor Daily News (Bangor, Maine). Visit Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
What Does Memorial Day Signify? All About the Military Holiday
Memorial Day takes place on the last Monday in May every year in the United States The annual federal holiday is intended to serve as a day of remembrance for those who died while serving in the U.S. military It's generally advised not to wish people a "Happy" Memorial DayMemorial Day 2025, which takes place on the last Monday in May every year, falls on May 26, 2025. Over the years, Memorial Day has come to symbolize the first weekend of summer, but its meaning far exceeds the summer vibe. Memorial Day is an annual federal United States holiday that is dedicated to mourning and honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. The holiday, which was established in 1868, is intended for families, friends and others to pay tribute to fallen service members. Oftentimes, volunteers place American flags in cemeteries to honor their lives. There are over 150 national cemeteries —including Arlington National Cemetery and Gettysburg National Cemetery — across the country that will sport thousands of American flags every Memorial Day. In addition to Memorial Day, there is also Armed Forces Day, celebrating current military members on the third Saturday in May, and Veterans Day, honoring all veterans on Nov. 11 every year. Unlike Armed Forces Day and Veterans Day, it's generally discouraged to wish people a "Happy" Memorial Day, because it is a day of remembrance. Here's everything to know about Memorial Day. Memorial Day descends from the Southern tradition of "Decoration Day," when families traveled to the cemeteries where their ancestors were interred to place flowers on their graves, per Decoration Day in the Mountains. Often, large groups of extended families made the trip, religious ceremonies took place and food was served. Decoration Day used to reflect the cycles of farm life, taking place in late summer when farm work was lightest or in autumn after the seasonal harvest. (Some areas would also observe it on Sundays to coincide with church services.) According to a website dedicated to the holiday, Memorial Day — as we know it — was established on May 5, 1868, when Grand Army of the Republic (a Civil War veteran organization) General John A. Logan, the GAR's first commander-in-chief, declared May 30 to be Memorial Day and called on the GAR's membership to make it an annual occurrence. Some hold that the day was observed because it was the anniversary of a specific battle. In 2010, President Barack Obama's Memorial Day speech (via Associated Press) referenced the date being chosen because it was when flowers were optimally in bloom for decorating graves. Memorial Day as a national holiday did not become common until after World War II and wasn't even designated as the holiday's official name until 1967. The following year, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which moved Memorial Day from its fixed date (along with three other holidays) to the last Monday in May. The law went into action on the federal level in 1971; within a few years, all 50 states adopted the change. Memorial Day is not — as Veterans Day is — a blanket remembrance of those who have served in the nation's armed forces, according to VA's 2023 Veterans Day Teacher Guide. It is specifically designated to honor those who have died while serving, and because of its gradual erosion into a "start of summer" celebration, several organizations and individuals advocate for the return of the holiday to May 30, including both the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. The late former Hawaii Senator Daniel Inouye, a World War II veteran, introduced a Congressional measure to return Memorial Day to May 30 in 1987 and continued to do so every year until his death in 2012. In 1999, he wrote, "Mr. President, in our effort to accommodate many Americans by making the last Monday in May Memorial Day, we have lost sight of the significance of this day to our nation. Instead of using Memorial Day as a time to honor and reflect on the sacrifices made by Americans in combat, many Americans use the day as a celebration of the beginning of summer." Writing on the now-defunct Listserv in 2013, U.S. Marine Tony Bundschuh elaborated on the idea: "There is a difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Veterans Day is the one where we give thanks to all that [sic] have served, but Memorial Day is supposed to be a somber day set aside for remembrance of those that [sic] have died serving their country. It is not a happy day." In December 2000, a resolution for a National Moment of Remembrance was passed, which calls for all Americans to "voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect" at 3 p.m. local time. Alternatively, people can also donate money to one of the many organizations that support families of combat-wounded or killed veterans or veterans themselves, like Hope for the Warriors, the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society or Homes for Our Troops. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
What's the history behind Memorial Day? Why Americans observe the federal holiday
Grilling some burgers and having a brew on Memorial Day is cool, but do you know the history of this holiday? While you're enjoying the day off, take some time to understand why today is a holiday. Memorial Day is observed annually on the last Monday of May. This year, it falls on May 26. Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, began after the American Civil War as a way to honor fallen soldiers. According to the National Cemetery Administration, the first national observance took place on May 30, 1868, when Gen. John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic called for a day to decorate the graves of Civil War soldiers with flowers. Over time, the holiday expanded to commemorate all American military personnel who died in service. In 1971, Congress officially established Memorial Day as a federal holiday, moving its observance to the last Monday in May to create a three-day weekend. Today, Americans honor the day with parades, ceremonies, and moments of remembrance. Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the U.S. It was officially recognized by Congress in 1971 and is observed on the last Monday in May each year. As a federal holiday, government offices, banks, and many businesses close in observance. Americans can use this time to honor military personnel who died in service. According to AAA, 3.7 million Texans will travel over the Memorial Day holiday period between Thursday, May 22 and Monday, May 26, a 3% increase from 2024. This is the third straight year of record-breaking travel for this holiday statewide. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: What is the origin of Memorial Day? See why the holiday is observed
