Memorial Day, a major U.S. holiday, is dedicated to honoring military personnel who died in service. It is observed on the last Monday of May, which also marks what many people see as the unofficial start of summer.

The holiday did not always go by its current name. It was originally called “Decoration Day” because people would decorate the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers and flags.

The first national observance of Decoration Day took place on May 30, 1868, following the Civil War, a conflict that resulted in over 600,000 deaths and deeply shaped the need for national remembrance.

Decoration Day was officially proclaimed by John A. Logan, who led a veterans organization and wanted a unified day to honor Union soldiers who died in the war.

The idea of decorating graves was not new. Americans had already been doing it informally even before the Civil War, showing that the tradition had deep cultural roots.

One of the earliest recorded grave decorations during the Civil War happened in 1861 for a soldier named John Quincy Marr, just days after the war began.

A group of women played a major role in shaping the holiday, especially the Ladies Memorial Association of Columbus, Georgia, who pushed for an annual day of remembrance.

Mary Ann Williams helped spark the movement by writing a widely published letter in 1866 encouraging people across the South to decorate soldiers’ graves each year.

Some historians believe one of the earliest Memorial Day like events was held in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1865, where 10,000 newly freed Black Americans honored Union soldiers with a massive parade and reburial ceremony.

By 1873, New York became the first state to officially recognize Decoration Day as a holiday, helping it spread across the country.

By 1890, every Northern state had adopted the holiday, showing how quickly it became a national tradition after its creation.

After World War I and World War II, Memorial Day expanded its purpose to honor all American military personnel who died in service, not just Civil War soldiers.

In 1968, Congress passed a law moving Memorial Day from May 30 to the last Monday in May, creating a guaranteed three day weekend for Americans.

The name “Memorial Day” was used as early as 1882, but it did not become the official name until 1967.

There are two other military related holidays in the U.S., including Veterans Day, which honors all who served, and Armed Forces Day, which recognizes those currently serving.

In 2000, the U.S. government established a National Moment of Remembrance at 3:00 pm, encouraging Americans to pause and reflect on the sacrifices of fallen service members.

The bugle call “Taps” is commonly played during Memorial Day ceremonies, adding a solemn and emotional tone to commemorations.

Memorial Day parades have been a tradition since the 1800s, with some towns like Brooklyn claiming to host the oldest continuous parade in the nation. Rochester, Wisconsin actually predates many other towns in holding a Memorial Day parade, with celebrations dating back to 1867.

The red poppy became a symbol of remembrance after the poem “In Flanders Fields,” written during World War I, described poppies growing among soldiers’ graves. It is more commonly associated with remembrance traditions in Europe, especially on Armistice Day.

Memorial Day has sometimes been criticized for becoming too focused on leisure activities like not working, barbecues, and travel rather than remembrance. Even in 1913, some veterans complained that younger generations were turning the day into one for games and entertainment instead of reflection.

The famous Indianapolis 500 race is held around Memorial Day weekend, and it was once controversial because some believed it distracted from the holiday’s meaning.

In 1966, Lyndon B. Johnson officially declared Waterloo, New York, as the birthplace of Memorial Day, although some historians dispute that claim.

The Civil War played a major role in shaping Memorial Day traditions, as it led to the creation of national cemeteries for fallen soldiers.

By 1870, nearly 300,000 Union soldiers had been reburied in national cemeteries, showing the scale of loss that fueled the holiday’s importance.

Early Memorial Day ceremonies were carefully organized events that included marches, speeches, prayers, music, and even rifle salutes.

May 30 was originally chosen for Decoration Day partly because flowers would be in full bloom across the country, making it ideal for decorating graves.

There is also Confederate Memorial Day in parts of the South, which honored soldiers who fought for the Confederacy. It was observed on different dates depending on the state, including June 3, the birthday of Confederate President Jefferson Davis.