What to know about Memorial Day and the meaning behind it
Memorial Day is seen as the unofficial begin to summer and a long weekend for a lot of, however the day is about greater than cookouts, gross sales, and patriotic parades.
Why it matters: The federal holiday commemorates military personnel who lost their lives defending the nation.
When is Memorial Day 2024?
Memorial Day is observed annually on the last Monday of May, which is May 27.
- The holiday used to be marked annually on May 30 until 1971.
What to know about Memorial Day
Memorial Day history
Flashback: Memorial Day was initially known as “Decoration Day” and was recognized as early as the 1860s after the Civil War.
- The historical past of Memorial Day is the topic of a longstanding educational debate, with dozens of cities and cities claiming to be the vacation’s birthplace, Axios’ Jennifer A. Kingson reviews.
- The main focus of the vacation shifted after World Warfare I to honor American troopers who died in any struggle, not solely the Civil Warfare, based on Historical past.com.
Memorial Day vs. Veterans Day
Zoom in: Veterans Day honors all who’ve served within the U.S. navy and is taken into account a celebration of all veterans, residing and lifeless.
- Memorial Day is to recognize fallen military who died in service.
Don’t say “Happy Memorial Day”
Reality check: Since Memorial Day is a solemn day to recollect the fallen, the Wounded Warrior Venture advises individuals to say: “Have a significant Memorial Day,” not “Completely happy Memorial Day.”
- The group stated it is “not acceptable to thank a service member for his or her service on today, as it’s a day for remembering and honoring those that made the last word sacrifice.”
“What to know about Memorial Day”
