Monthly Archives: May 2017

Most (if not all) Americans look forward to Memorial Day because it gives us a three-day weekend, allowing us to take a break from our hectic lives and spend time with our loved ones! But we must remember that the origin of Memorial Day. It was put in place to honor the union and Confederate soldiers who died during the American Civil War. And since the 1900s, it has become a day of celebration for all American soldiers who died while serving in the military.

To commemorate this day, communities all over the country attend memorial services and events to honor those that have fallen. Here are 10 interesting facts you might not have known about Memorial Day:

1. Memorial day was originally called Decoration Day. To honor those who have fallen, people all over decorated graves with flowers, flags, and wreaths. Thus, it was dubbed Decoration Day. It wasn’t till 1967 until it was legally changed to Memorial Day.
2. Memorial Day used to be observed on May 30th until the year of 1971 when it was moved to the last Monday in May to ensure the prolonged weekend.
3. Several states observe Confederate Memorial Day. Apart from the federal Memorial Day, certain states have an official day to celebrate those who died fighting for the Confederacy in the Civil War. This includes: Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Virginia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and us (Georgia)!
4. More than 40 million Americans travel more than 50 miles from their homes for the weekend, making the traffic particularly heavy this holiday. Be sure to gas up your car if you’re going to be one of these people!
5. Located in Arlington, Virginia, the Arlington National Cemetery is one of the places where major Memorial Day ceremonies take place. One of the largest cemeteries in the world, it is home to 400,000 graves.
6. Two of the biggest car races of the year take place on Memorial Day weekend. The NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 race in Charlotte, North Carolina and The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race in Indiana, are both held on the Sunday preceding Memorial Day.
7. Held in Washington, DC, bikers hold an event known as the Rolling Thunder Run. In this annual motorcycle rally, almost one million spectators and bikers come together to raise awareness of Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action.
8. According to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, Memorial Day is now the second most popular holiday (after the Fourth of July) for a sun-baked barbecue with 53 percent of people grilling on the holiday.
9. Performed on the west lawn of the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., the National Memorial Day Concert is also held to pay tribute to fallen US soldiers. Attended by more than half a million people at the venue, the concert can be watched by US military personnel all over the world.
10. The poppy flower is a symbol of remembrance. It was inspired by the World War I poem “In Flanders Fields”. Its opening lines refer to the many poppies that were the first flowers to grow in the churned-up earth of soldiers’ graves in Flanders, a region of Europe that overlies a part of Belgium. The poppy flower came to be known as an international symbol of remembrance. In 1924, the people were faced with a shortage of poppies. To fill the shortage, the first artificial poppy factory was created in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It employed veterans who needed work.

It is important to remember that, along with the much appreciate long weekend, Memorial Day is a significant day set aside for us to remember all Amercian soldiers who have died while serving in the military. Make sure that we all take a moment to thank those people who have given their lives, so that you could have yours. Have a safe and fun-filled Memorial Day!