1. Memorial Day began as a day honoring Union soldiers killed during the Civil War.

Aftermath of the Civil War
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
2. Some Southern states still have a separate day of remembrance for Confederate soldiers.

Presidents of Ladies Memorial Association.
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3. The original date of ‘Decoration Day’ was May 30, chosen because it was not associated with any particular battle.

1870 Decoration Day parade in St. Paul, Minnesota.
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4. The tradition of red poppies honoring fallen soldiers comes from a Canadian poem written during WWI.

- Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
5. The Vietnam War was responsible for Memorial Day becoming a national holiday.

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.

The annual ride by Rolling Thunder as it crosses the Memorial Bridge in Washington D.C.
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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.

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.

- Photo Credit: United States Department of Defense
9. American flags are requested to be flown half-staff until noon on Memorial Day.

- Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons