 Memorial Day holiday is one of the United States of America federal holidays. Memorial Day formerly known as the Decoration Day is celebrated every last Monday of the month of May. The day has it origin amongst the blacks as well as the Northern white communities to honor the fallen Union soldiers in the American Civil War. It is believed that the southern school children as well as the southern women in Richmond as well as other cities had decorated Confederate graves during the civil war; however, each of these regions had their own dates. Indeed most of the dates were in the month of May. During the 20th century this Day was extended to honor and commemorate entire American population that had lost their lives in war. As such Memorial Day holiday serves to remember all men and women who lose their lives while serving the United States Armed Forces.
Memorial Day holiday was first celebrated on 30th May 1868, to commemorate the sacrifices made by the Civil War soldiers. This was done after a proclamation by the General of the Grand Army Republic, General John A. Logan. During the first celebration of this day, a speech was given by General J Garfield at Arlington National Cemetery and thereafter over 50,000 attendees helped in the decoration of graves of over 20,000 Confederate and Union soldiers that had been buried in the cemetery. In 1966 under the directions given by President Lyndon Johnson the United States federal government, Waterloo, N. Y., was declared as the official birthplace of Memorial Day. The choice was deliberate, Waterloo celebrated this day every 5th May, and had made it an annual event during which residents not only decorated graves with flags and flowers but more important all the businesses were closed on this day.
By the end of the 1800s, most communities in the United States had started commemorating this day. After the World War I, the American people started to celebrate the day in honor of all those who had died in America’s wars. In 1971, a declaration by the American Congress made Memorial Day a national holiday and the last Monday of May was designated as the official date for these celebrations.
Up to this date Memorial Day is usually celebrated at
Arlington National Cemetery during which an American
flag is indeed placed on each of these graves. It has
become a common practice and indeed a tradition for the
president of the United States to give a speech in honor
of the contribution as well as sacrifices made by these
fallen heroes and in addition lay a garland at the tomb
of one of the Unknown soldiers. More than 5,000
individuals attend these celebrations every year.
In the south, a number of the Southern States still set
aside a different day that they consider special for
giving tribute to their befallen ones soldier or the
Confederate, the day is usually referred to as the
Confederate Memorial Day. Another date set to honor the
American veterans whether dead or living is known as the
Veteran day and is celebrated on November 11 of each
year.
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Other Federal Holidays
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2012 Dates |
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New Year’s Day
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Monday, January 2 |
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Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
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Monday, January 16 |
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Washington’s Birthday
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Monday, February 20 |
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Independence Day
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Wednesday, July 4 |
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Labor Day
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Monday, September 3 |
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Columbus Day
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Monday, October 8 |
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Veterans Day
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Monday, November 12 |
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Thanksgiving Day
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Thursday, November 22 |
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Christmas Day
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Tuesday, December 25 |
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