Memorial Day Presidential Recordings

Formerly referred to as Decoration Day; Memorial Day is a federal holiday established for honoring and mourning military personnel who have died in the service of the United States.  Prior to 1971 when we celebrate Memorial Day on the last Monday in May, from 1868 to 1970; Memorial Day was observed on May 30.  There are conflicting reasons as to the establishment of the chosen date for Memorial Day.  One is that May 30 is a day with no anniversary of a particular battle.  The second is that May 30 is the optimal date for flowers to be in bloom in the north.

The earliest observances of Memorial Day simple affairs where even before the end of the Civil War in 1865, southern women in Mississippi, Virginia, and South Carolina set precedents by decorating the graves of military personnel.  It was then really only observed quietly by family of servicemen to honor their memory.  Likewise, on May 5, 1868, General John A. Logan, Commander in Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic issued a proclamation recognizing Decoration Day.  Logan had adopted the same practices that started in the south in 1865.  

Interestingly, by 1874, the first Confederate Memorial Day took place and by 1916, ten southern states honored it on June 3 to celebrate the birthday of the President of the Confederacy; Jefferson Davis.

On June 28, 1968 Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act moving four holidays: Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Columbus Day to create convenient three day weekends.  This law went into effect in 1971.

In the early part of the 20th Century, the GAR had been concerned about how the young people born after the Civil War have lost the true meaning of Memorial Day.  "Younger people born since the war had a tendency to forget the purpose of Memorial Day and make it a day for games, races, and revelry, instead of a day of memory and tears." 

This collection is to let people reflect and remember those American war dead.  As we all gather around the picnic table to spend time with family and friends to ring in the unofficial start of the summer season; let’s remember those empty seats at those picnic tables who gave the ultimate sacrifice for us all to enjoy this time together.