What Is the History of Memorial Day?

Victoria — Sat, 23 May 2009 12:30:00 GMT

Year after year, I recall waking up with my family to prepare for Memorial Day. It was usually chilly out and you could hear the local high school marching band warming up a mile up the street. We would watch the parade progress down the main drag and our community would walk along to the local cemetery, where uniformed men would already be assembled. Each year there was a speech, though I never had much patience for listening. I would shuffle my weight back and forth and look at the long lines of headstones and American flags. I always remember guns being fired and Taps being played by a solo trumpeter.

Thanks to Google™, I finally made an effort to read about the history of Memorial Day. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has a great article about it and I didn't find it longwinded, but I have a bachelor's degree in history, so I've got a tolerance for historical reading.

One thing that I didn't know was this:

"The National Moment of Remembrance encourages all Americans to pause wherever they are at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day for a minute of silence to remember and honor those who have died in service to the nation."

I'll be sure to observe that minute of silence this year.

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What Is the History of Memorial Day?