Known to many as the "unofficial" start to summer, the origins of Memorial Day speak to something much different than barbecues, the beach, and hot dogs. First celebrated on
May 1, 1865, the holiday began when a group of former and emancipated enslaved individuals gathered to honor the lives of fallen Union soldiers. In 1868, General John Logan declared May 30th as "Decoration Day," a commemorative holiday designed to honor fallen soldiers by dressing or "decorating" graves. "Decoration Day" celebrations differed by region and culture; while the Federal government created national cemeteries for soldiers in the North, those is the South relied on retelling and recreating stories of now passed family members. It was not until the 20th century and when America faced an outside, international threat, did Memorial Day become the national holiday it is recognized as today.
19th Century Memorial Day gathering
Today, Memorial Day exists to honor those lost in war. Yet, do we remember the origins of Memorial Day? How can we work to honor all of those lost in American wars? And while honoring those that have fallen, how can we work to improve the current lives veterans? Roughly,
12% of all individuals facing homelessness are veterans.
On this Memorial Day, what can we do to improve services to veterans? Check out the links below to learn more and let us know what you will do!
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
http://www.va.gov/homeless/
National Coalition for Homeless Veterans
http://nchv.org
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