1. Memorial Day began as a day honoring Union soldiers killed during the Civil War.
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Aftermath of the Civil War
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
2. Some Southern states still have a separate day of remembrance for Confederate soldiers.
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Presidents of Ladies Memorial Association.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
3. The original date of ‘Decoration Day’ was May 30, chosen because it was not associated with any particular battle.
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1870 Decoration Day parade in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
4. The tradition of red poppies honoring fallen soldiers comes from a Canadian poem written during WWI.
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- Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
5. The Vietnam War was responsible for Memorial Day becoming a national holiday.
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A wounded solider being carried away during the Vietnam War in 1968.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
6. Rolling Thunder, a nonprofit that brings attention to prisoners of war and those who remain missing in action, holds a rally every Memorial Day.
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The annual ride by Rolling Thunder as it crosses the Memorial Bridge in Washington D.C.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
7. Although many towns claim to have been the birthplace of Memorial Day, Waterloo, New York is officially recognized as the first to commemorate the day.
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Waterloo Downtown Historic District.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
8. Congress passed a law in 2000 that requires Americans to stop what they're doing at 3:00 P.M. to observe the holiday.
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- Photo Credit: United States Department of Defense
9. American flags are requested to be flown half-staff until noon on Memorial Day.
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- Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
