These commemorations seem to predate the post civil war celebrations that ultimately gave us our national memorial day.
Decoration day in the mountains. The memorial day we observe tomorrow was inspired by a southern tradition called decoration 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. Whether it is dinner on the grounds and family barbecues decorating a cemetery with flowers and flags or the singing of gospel tunes and playing taps on a trumpet. Traditions of cemetery decoration in the southern appalachians by alan jabbour karen singer jabbour unc press 2010 393 90975.
Decoration day in the mountains. Decoration days in southern appalachia and liberia are a living tradition of group ancestor veneration observances which arose by the 19th century. Many people visit cemeteries and memorials on memorial day to honor and. Decoration day is a late spring or summer tradition that involves cleaning a community cemetery decorating it with flowers holding a religious service in the cemetery and having dinner on the ground.
It can be marked for private as well as public reasons as conor knighton discovered in one of our. This is an interesting book on southern traditions.