Memorial Day

Culture of origin: National · National holiday

Holiday sources: United States (federal)

Memorial Day began as Decoration Day: on May 30, 1868, John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic, a veterans' organization, proclaimed a day to honour Union soldiers who died in the Civil War. It became a federal holiday in 1888, and the world wars widened it to all who died in US military service. In 1968 Congress moved it to the last Monday of May; volunteers place American flags on the graves in national cemeteries.