
However before it was called memorial day it was known as decoration day and had been celebrated since may of 1868 according to the u s.
Decoration day history. On the first decoration day general james garfield made a speech at arlington national cemetery after which 5 000 participants helped to decorate the graves of the more than 20 000 civil war. A history of decoration day in the u s. We will never know for certain if the southern tradition of decoration day was the inspiration for memorial day but the similarities do exist. Many people visit cemeteries and memorials on memorial day to honor and.
The holiday is now observed on the last monday of may having been observed on may 30 from 1868 to 1970. Originally the celebration served as a form of protest for veterans of the battle of ridgeway who felt that their contributions to the protection of canada during the fenian raids were being overlooked by. By the late 19th century with the rise of the lost cause ideology in the south the south was celebrating confederate memorial day. Memorial day previously but now seldom called decoration day is a federal holiday in the united states for honoring and mourning the military personnel who have died while serving in the united states armed forces.
The illustrations were done by steven brodner an satiric artist and illustrator. Logan called it decoration day because he said the fallen should be honored by strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense. This separation largely died out in the 20th century especially with the change in name of the northern form of the holiday from decoration day to memorial day and then the creation of a special monday holiday for memorial day in 1968. The l a times published an illustrated history about the first decoration day in sunday s paper may 24 2015 page a31 it was a whole page presentation.