by Lenna Gonya

Created on: May 12, 2010

Memorial Day is more than cookouts, and celebrating the start of the summer season. It is a day that was created to remember those who served their country, and possibly died in that endeavor. And, it has a long history, dating back to May 30, 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of soldiers from both sides of the Civil War, at Arlington National Cemetery.

By 1890, all of the northern states recognized Memorial Day, however, the South held out until after WW I, when the it was decided that Memorial Day should be a day of remembrance for all those who had died in fighting in any war, not only the Civil War. Up until this time, the South chose to celebrate their own Memorial Days on different dates.

While Memorial Day is not the celebration that it once was to many people, it is certainly a day that should continue, and be revived. For decades, most people attended parades on this patriotic day. Bands played, soldiers marched, and veterans were given places of honor in towns and cities across the country. Flags lined streets, were displayed from every home, and people attended memorial services at local monuments or cemeteries. The old veterans of previous wars were honored, and speeches were made by local officials.

Traditionally, flags are to be flown at half mast from dawn on Memorial Day until noon. And, in remembrance of their service, flags are typically placed on the graves of veterans, who either died in wars or have passed away since.

For many people, Memorial Day isn’t just a celebration of the lives and sacrifices of our service men and women, but a chance to remember all the members of our families that have died. In an age when the nuclear family is becoming more and more displaced, it is important that ancestors, recent and ancient, be remembered.

Memorial Day has become a time when many families take flowers to the graves of deceased family members and friends, and reconnect with their family histories. It is also a time to remember the sacrifices of family members who served their country. Many families use this as a time to explain to children the history of their family members in relation to their military service, where they served, and what they did.

Memorial Day is definitely a holiday that should be preserved and observed by this generation and in the future, as long as there are people and sacrifices to remember.

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