While the national celebration of Memorial Day is designed to unite the country and honor all of those who fought and died in its service, the celebration began when the country was still very much divided.
Memorial Day was first officially celebrated on May 30, 1868, after a proclamation by Gen. John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, a precursor to the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
The GAR's purpose was to keep track of the more than 4 million Union Civil War veterans.
During the proclamation, Logan said, "Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect, no ravages of time testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic."
On that date, the organization placed flowers on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. In 1873 the holiday was recognized by New York and by 1890 all the northern states began celebrating the holiday.
However the southern states refused to accept the day, choosing to honor their dead on separate days throughout the year. After World War I the holiday changed from honoring civil war dead to honoring those who died fighting in any war and was recognized nationwide.
As part of the National Holiday Act of 1971, the date was moved from a static May 30 to a changeable description of the last Monday in May, to ensure a three-day weekend. In 2000, Congress passed the National Moment of Remembrance Resolution requesting people pause for a moment of silence at 3 p.m. local time to honor those who died in service to their country.
One of the most prominent celebrations of the holiday takes place at Arlington National Cemetery. On the preceding Thursday, American flags are placed on the more than 260,000 graves.
• Information obtained from www.usmemorialday.org.
Honor
Adjutant Lionel Motta of the American Legion, Department of Nevada, recommends these ways to honor fallen soldiers on Memorial Day:
• Explain to children the reason for Memorial Day and the significance of honoring fallen soldiers.
• Fly an American flag. Our fallen patriots protected those colors with their blood.
• Go to a cemetery and help clean or place flags on the gravestones of veterans.
• Take a few moments with family or friends reflect and say thank you to those who lost their lives serving their country.