How Memorial Day is celebrated
Americans attend parades, church services, and speeches on Memorial Day. Some people visit war monuments such as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. That large sculpture lists the names of all the soldiers who died in the Vietnam War.
People also decorate soldiers' graves on Memorial Day. They use flowers and U.S. flags. The president often places a wreath of flowers on the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. Laying flowers on graves is an old custom that exists around the world.
Some Southern states celebrate another Memorial Day for Confederate soldiers. Confederate soldiers fought for the South in the Civil War. Texas observes Confederate Heroes Day in January. Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi celebrate Confederate Memorial Day in April. Other Southern states observe the day in May or June.
Many Americans do not have to work on Memorial Day. They often spend the day outdoors with their families. They think of the holiday as the start of summer.
History
Memorial Day began in about 1866, after the Civil War. People wanted to honor the soldiers who had died in the battles. Women's groups began laying flowers on soldiers' graves. Because the day included decorating graves, it was originally called Decoration Day. Soon there were prayers and church services to mark the holiday. After World War I the name of the holiday was changed from Decoration Day to Memorial Day.
Different groups claim to have started the holiday. Some people think the first Decoration Day ceremony was held in Pennsylvania. Others think the holiday began with a service in Virginia. Cities in Georgia, Illinois, and Mississippi say that they held the first Decoration Day. In 1966 the U.S. government named Waterloo, New York, as the birthplace of Memorial Day.
Decoration Day was originally held on May 30. An Army commander chose that date for the holiday in 1868. In 1971 Memorial Day became a national holiday celebrated on the last Monday in May.