As Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. said in his Memorial
Day address in 1884 at Keene, Memorial Day 'celebrates and solemnly
reaffirms from year to year a national act of enthusiasm and faith.'
With changing times, Memorial Day is more celebrated as a holiday than
the glum occasion it was meant for. We must remember that the day means
to honor of America's defense personnel who lost their lives in various
wars. Though, people used to honor the graves of the war dead even
before the Civil War, the National Memorial Day holiday, originally
known as 'Decoration Day' was first observed on May 30, 1868.
The concept originated in the mind of General John Alexander Logan, who
dedicated this day to decorate the graves of the American Civil War
dead. Later, it encompassed all those who sacrificed their lives for
their nation, from the Revolutionary War to the present. May 30th every
year was celebrated as the Memorial Day until 1971. Later, the federal
government issued the orders of holding the Memorial Day on the last
Monday of May. Alabama celebrates Confederate Memorial Day on the fourth
Monday in April while the states of Mississippi and Georgia celebrate it
on the last Monday of April.
Seeing the Memorial Day losing its importance in the minds of younger
generations, the concept of the National Moment of Remembrance was
hatched by a national humanitarian organizations known as the 'No
Greater Love, based in Washington, D.C. It was introduced in 1997 and is
recognized by the President and Members of Congress. Since then, 'Taps'
is at 3 p.m. throughout America to honor the contributions of our dead
soldiers. All Americans are encouraged to pay respect to them by keeping
silent for one minute in their memory at 3:00 p.m.
