Memorial Day 2023

America, the land of the free, became a great nation due to great sacrifices.
Memorial Day is a symbol of these sacrifices our country endured. This day of
remembrance originally began after the Civil War to commemorate Union and
Confederate soldiers who died. Men and Women forced to deal with a deeply
fractured country after the War paid homage to those lost by decorating the
graves of fallen soldiers throughout our country. This remembrance was initially
known as Decoration Day, which started in 1868 and continued until America
became involved in additional Wars, such as WWI and WWII. The loss of
American lives forced a new defining meaning of Decoration Day and ultimately
changed it to Memorial Day. In 1967 Memorial Day became the official name,
and in 1971, it became a Federal Holiday.

Initially, Memorial Day was set for May 30th, which was changed due to the
Uniform Monday Act of 1968. This legislation declared that certain holidays
would take place on certain Mondays. The primary reason for the move was the
commercial gains our country would receive from having a three-day holiday
weekend. With the push of the travel organization and the backing of employee
Unions and the Federal Employee Unions, it became a reality and changed to
the last Monday of the month. Later, to ensure our fallen soldiers would never be
forgotten, the National Moment of Remembrance Act was passed. This Act
encouraged all to pause at 3 pm on Memorial Day for a moment of silence in
observance of those who paved the way to freedom.

Today we commemorate those who have paved the way to freedom and those
who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. Cities around the country observe
Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings,
and participating in parades, all to unite people around values of freedom and a
better tomorrow. We will always honor those who contributed to our nation’s
sovereignty and the creation of this day.