05/23/2026
What do you know about Memorial Day?
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.
Did you know that Memorial Day has roots in the Chattahoochee Valley?
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. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic – a fraternal organization of veterans – to honor Union soldiers who had died in the American Civil War. This national observance followed the example of many local observances that began between the end of the Civil War and Logan's declaration. Many cities and people have claimed to be the first to observe it; however, the National Cemetery Administration, a division of the Department of Veterans Affairs, credits Mary Ann Williams of the Ladies Memorial Association of Columbus, Georgia, with originating the idea of an annual date to decorate the graves of Civil War veterans with flowers.
Official recognition as a holiday spread among the states, beginning with New York in 1873. By 1890, every union state had adopted it. The world wars turned it into a day of remembrance for all members of the U.S. military who fought and died in service. In 1968, Congress changed its observance to the last Monday in May, and in 1971 standardized its name as "Memorial Day.” Two other days celebrate those who have served or are serving in the U.S. military: Armed Forces Day, which is earlier in May, a ceremonial U.S. day of commemoration for honoring those currently serving in the armed forces, and Veterans Day on November 11, a legal holiday that honors all those who have served in the United States Armed Forces.
What do poppies have to do with Memorial Day?
In 1915, following the Second Battle of Ypres, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, a physician with the Canadian Expeditionary Force, wrote the poem "In Flanders Fields". Its opening lines refer to the fields of poppies that grew among the soldiers' graves in Flanders. Inspired by the poem, YWCA worker Moina Michael attended a YWCA Overseas War Secretaries' conference three years later, wearing a silk poppy pinned to her coat and distributed over two dozen more to others present. The National American Legion adopted the poppy as its official symbol of remembrance in 1920.
What should we say to a veteran or service member on Memorial Day?
Memorial Day is not Veterans Day. Veterans Day (November 11) celebrates living veterans and their service. Memorial Day honors those who died. This distinction matters, and it shapes what you say.
Saying "Happy Memorial Day" to a veteran can feel jarring to someone who lost friends in combat. A more thoughtful approach acknowledges what the day represents:
"Thank you for your service, and I'm remembering those who didn't come home." This balances gratitude for the living veteran with recognition of the day's true purpose.
"I appreciate the sacrifices you and your fellow service members have made." This honors both the veteran and the fallen without the dissonance of "happy."
"Is there someone you'd like to tell me about today?" Many veterans carry the memories of friends they lost. Offering to listen can be one of the most meaningful things you do on Memorial Day.
If you are unsure what to say, a moment of silence at 3:00 PM — the National Moment of Remembrance established by Congress in 2000 — is a universally appropriate gesture. No words are needed.
