|
The History of Memorial Day
The last weekend of each May is Memorial Day in the US, where picnics and BBQs are held and a toast is raised to those who have passed away. Where did this tradition begin?
As with many holidays, it's hard to nail down exactly when Memorial Day began. It was definitely after the Civil War - a war which pitted brother against brother, father against son. The amount of healing necessary after that was war immense. Many healing ceremonies were put together all across the US, from the women in the South to ministers in the North.
On May 5, 1865, the people of Waterloo, New York gathered together to honor those who had died, regardless of which side. A larger celebration came the following year. In Virginia, where much of the worst fighting took place, a ceremony was held on May 30, 1866 on Belle Isle. Two years later, in 1868, the celebration was made official, set on May 30th by General John A. Logan. In 1971 the day was made a federal holiday.
A poem written in 1915 by Moina Michael reads:
"We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies."
This began the tradition of distributing poppies to remember the dead and to raise money for the living.
Most people honor the dead by putting flowers on graves, a tradition which dates back thousands of years. Others give toasts to their departed friends and relatives. All celebrate the life that continues to go on, from newborn babies to the older relatives who have seen another summer come to the world.
Civil War Genealogy Information
Genealogy Gifts: Civil War Posters
Main Listing Page
All Genealogy Articles
Note - Lisa Shea wrote this content for the genealogy site at BellaOnline.com - you might still find this content there as well. That's fine :) I gave permission!
Lisa Shea Homepage | Advertising Info | Low Carb Recipes | Sangria Recipes | Travelogues | Game Walkthroughs
All content copyright © 2008 Minerva WebWorks LLC. All rights reserved.
You MUST GET WRITTEN PERMISSION to reprint or republish any of this material.
|
