Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. It is observed on the last Monday of May. It is also considered to be the unofficial beginning of summer. Memorial Day is a time for visiting cemeteries and memorials to mourn the military personnel who died in the line of duty. Volunteers will place American flags on the graves of those military personnel in national cemeteries. The first national observance of what would become Memorial Day occurred on May 30, 1868. Then known as Decoration Day, the holiday was proclaimed by Commander-in-Chief John A.
"Decoration Day," later called Memorial Day, is first observed in Northern US states
Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. It is observed on the last Monday of May.
Historical Significance
Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.
Events Before
Labor union leader Samuel Gompers (17) weds co-worker Sophia Julian (16) in Brooklyn, New York
Labor union leader Samuel Gompers (17) weds co-worker Sophia Julian (16) in Brooklyn, New York
Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky (45) weds Anna Snitkina at Trinity Cathedral in Saint Petersburg, Russia
Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky (45) weds Anna Snitkina at Trinity Cathedral in Saint Petersburg, Russia
British North America Act is passed in the House of Commons, serves as Canada's constitution for more than 100 years
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the second-largest...
Joseph Lister first outlines the discovery of antiseptic surgery in an article in "The Lancet"
Joseph Lister first outlines the discovery of antiseptic surgery in an article in "The Lancet"
The United States buys Alaska from Russia for $7,200,000 (109 million in 2018 dollars), roughly 2 cents an acre
The United States buys Alaska from Russia for $7,200,000 (109 million in 2018 dollars), roughly 2 cents an acre
Events After
US postage stamps featuring scenes are issued for the first time, depicting a post horse and rider, a locomotive, a shie
US postage stamps featuring scenes are issued for the first time, depicting a post horse and rider, a locomotive, a shield, an eagle, and a ship, the Adriatic
Dmitri Mendeleev presents the first periodic table of the elements to the Russian Chemical Society
Dmitri Mendeleev presents the first periodic table of the elements to the Russian Chemical Society
Cincinnati Red Stockings become baseball's first professional team with ten salaried players
The Cincinnati Red Stockings of 1869 were baseball's first all-professional team, with ten salaried players.
US Abolitionist Harriet Tubman marries civil war veteran Nelson Davis in Auburn NY
Harriet Tubman (1822–1913) was an American abolitionist and political activist. Tubman escaped slavery and rescued approximately 70 enslaved people, including members of her family and friends.
Hudson's Bay Company cedes its territory to Canada
The Hudson's Bay Company (abbreviated HBC and colloquially Hudson's Bay) is a Canadian holding company of department stores and commercial property.
More from the 1860s
Abraham Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation to free enslaved people in Confederate states
Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until his assassination in 1865.
Slavery is abolished in the Dutch East Indies for areas under direct rule
The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies, was a Dutch colony with territory mostly comprising the modern state of Indonesia, which declared independence on 17 August 1945.
birth
Alfred Stieglitz is born
Alfred Stieglitz, American photographer, known for american photographer, was born on 1864-01-01.
birth
Qi Baishi is born
Qi Baishi, Chinese painter, known for chinese painter, was born on 1864-01-01. Qi Baishi (1 January 1864 – 16 September 1957) was a Chinese painter, noted for the whimsical, often playful style of…
Frequently Asked Questions
- What happened on May 30, 1868?
- Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. It is observed on the last Monday of May.
- Why is "Decoration Day," later called Memorial Day, is first observed in Northern US... significant?
- Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.