Even so, couldn’t we still call it Decoration Day in remembrance of its beginnings? This honorary day is celebrated across the United States of America on the last Monday in May. To honor those lost, families would decorate their graves, and Arlington Cemetery was the location of the first Decoration Day. This Memorial Day edition is one way we can continue that role, but we wanted to take it a step further because we care. It was believed that by the end of May, flowers would have bloomed across the nation, making it a time when everyone could visit their local cemeteries and participate in Decoration Day. In 1966 the federal government declared Waterloo, New York, the official birthplace of Memorial Day. However, the roots of Memorial Day likely run much deeper, as researchers at Duke University note that during the Civil War, organized women’s groups in the south had begun to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers. Over 600,000 men died in the Civil War and many were buried by the roadsides in hastily dug graves.
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This weekend, we honor the courageous men and women who gave their lives for this great country. That means every one of the roughly 620,000 who died during the Civil War, according to the Civil War Trust, and the 521,000-plus who made the ultimate sacrifice during World War I and World War II combined.
For many Americans, the Memorial Day weekend signifies backyard barbecues, mini-vacations, big retail sales and the unofficial start of summer.
This Memorial Day, make it a priority to remember peace, stand against the evils around us that rob us of peace and denounce the cries of violence, hatred and bitterness that erode peace in our world.
The museum serves as a tribute to the thousands of service men and women who fought in Vietnam more than 40 years ago. Teach them about the sacrifices made by so many.
That request was accepted, Memorial Day was always on May 30 until June 28, 1968 when Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act that moved the observance to the last Monday of May. While I will probably be joining most of you taking time to relax and enjoy the extra day off with family and friends during this holiday weekend, I encourage you to take a few moments and reflect on the greater reason for Memorial Day. In fact, if you go to Google and type in “Memorial Day what to do”, you’ll get all kinds of activities in your area: food and film fests, music concerts, baseball games.
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So when Steve Young found out New Whiteland officials wanted to build a special memorial honoring Vietnam veterans in IN, he was on board.
