The Memorial Day weekend is upon us. To many people, Memorial Day marks the long-awaited beginning of summer vacation season. But, of course, it’s much more than that.
The holiday, which is celebrated every year on the final Monday of May, was formerly known as Decoration Day and originated after the American Civil war to commemorate the Union and Confederate soldiers who died in that struggle. By the 20th century, Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who have died while in the military service. It became part of an official federal holiday weekend in 1971.
Memorial Day is not to be confused with Veterans Day; Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving, but Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans.