This Day in the Law
Share
May 30

Memorial Day First Observed in U.S. (1868)


On May 30, 1868, John Logan, Commander in Chief of the Union Army veterans’ organization (called the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR)), observed the first national Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. Logan issued General Order Number 11 designating May 30 as the official Memorial Day to honor those soldiers killed during the American Civil War.

The Civil War tore apart the U.S. and destroyed many lives and families. In the wake of the Civil War, many small communities began to observe some form of remembrance for the dead. It’s difficult to prove the actual origin of the first Memorial Day. In fact, it’s likely that it had many separate beginnings in small towns across America. But Logan’s Memorial Day dedication on May 30, 1868 is generally considered to be the first official observance of Memorial Day.

In General Order Number 11, Logan declared Memorial Day "for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land."

New York became the first state to officially recognize Memorial Day in 1873. By 1890, all the Northern states recognized the day. However, the Southern states refused to acknowledge May 30 as the day of observance until the 20th century. Even today, many Southern states observe additional separate days to honor the Confederate war dead.

In 1971, Congress passed the National Holiday Act (P.L. 90-363) to officially recognize Memorial Day as a federal holiday on the last Monday in May and extended it to honor all those who died in any American war.

The national observance of Memorial Day still takes place at Arlington National Cemetery every year by decorating each grave with a small U.S. flag and placing a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. People pay tribute with flowers, speeches, parades, and other acts.

In the end, Memorial Day is a day about bringing everyone together to remember and honor those who gave their lives for their country. So, take a moment on this Memorial Day to honor and remember those brave veterans for their service.