Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. Military.
Memorial Day 2024 is held on Monday, May 27.
Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971.
For decades, Memorial Day continued to be observed on May 30, the date General Logan had selected for the first Decoration Day.
But in 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May in order to create a three-day weekend for federal employees.
The change went into effect in 1971.
The same law also declared Memorial Day a federal holiday.
Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades.
Unofficially, it marks the beginning of the summer season, and all too often we fail to understand, or observe, the importance of this commemoration.
