Memorial Day A Day To Remember And Honor Fallen Soldiers

When this day was originally envisaged it was extremely emotive and carried a sense of pride and honor for fellow soldiers and family members honoring those who had died in the American Civil War. The initiators of the then called Decoration Day were African American Union veterans who gathered at a cemetery where two hundred and fifty-seven fellow soldiers were buried on the first of May eighteen hundred and sixty-five and started a tradition that would become Memorial Day.

Two years later there were commemorative events in a hundred and eighty-three cemeteries in twenty seven states and the occasion has grown into a national holiday and day that includes all soldiers who fought in various wars since then.

Today many town and cities hold parades and it is an occasion for politicians, veterans and ministers to make speeches and pay tribute to the dead. Ironton, Ohio holds the pride of place of having had a parade every year since three years after the first Decoration Day took place.

With time the original concept around this day was lost and it has now become a weekend where many people are going about doing personal things such as shopping or going on holiday rather than visiting graves.

Large sporting events are traditionally held on this weekend such as the Indianapolis 500 and the Memorial Golf Tournament. The United States Capitol west lawn hosts a National Memorial Day Concert attended by thousands and broadcasts to millions pays tribute to men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

Many citizens fly flags at half-mast from sun up to sun at their homes and volunteers visit soldiers graves to drape them with flags. The day is meant to engender deep personal motivation levels to attain national unity and national goals as Memorial Day crosses borders and is inclusive of all religions and cultures.

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