Memorial Day

Memorial Day
Observed by	United States
Type	Federal holiday
Date	Last Monday in May
Scheduling	Varies (last Monday)
Frequency	Annual
Duration	1 day
Celebrates	Honoring U.S. military personnel who died in service

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States observed on the last Monday in May. It honors and mourns all U.S. military personnel who have died in the performance of their duties.

Origins

The holiday originated after the American Civil War as Decoration Day, when citizens decorated the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers. It became an official federal holiday in 1971.

Historical Timeline

• 1868 – First widely observed Decoration Day at Arlington National Cemetery
• 1882 – "Memorial Day" began to replace "Decoration Day"
• 1971 – Congress standardized the holiday to the last Monday in May under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act

Traditions

Common Memorial Day observances include:

• Placing flags or flowers on graves of fallen soldiers
• Parades in cities and towns across the country
• Moments of silence at 3:00 p.m. local time
• Visits to cemeteries and war memorials
• American flag flown at half-staff until noon

Significance

While it’s often associated with the start of summer, Memorial Day is a solemn occasion dedicated to sacrifice and remembrance.

It differs from:

• Veterans Day – Honors all U.S. military veterans
• Armed Forces Day – Celebrates those currently serving

Notable Locations

• Arlington National Cemetery – President typically lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
• Gettysburg National Cemetery – Civil War remembrance
• National Memorial Day Concert – Held annually on the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol

Fun Facts

• Over 1 million Americans have died in military service
• More than 620,000 died in the Civil War alone
• The "National Moment of Remembrance" was established in 2000

See Also

• Veterans Day
• Armed Forces
• American Civil War
• United States Military
• Federal Holidays in the United States