What was Memorial Day called in 1866?

Decoration Day
The first national observance of Memorial Day occurred on May 30, 1868. Then known as Decoration Day, the day was proclaimed by Commander in Chief John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic for the purpose of honoring Union soldiers who died in the Civil War.

Where was the first Memorial Day celebrated in 1866?

President Lyndon Johnson proclaimed Waterloo, New York, as the “Birthplace of Memorial Day,” because it began a formal observance on May 5, 1866.

Why did they change Decoration Day to Memorial Day?

Each of the former Union states had adopted a Decoration Day by 1890. As time went on, “Memorial Day” began to supplant “Decoration Day” as the name of the holiday, and it soon became a day to honor all fallen American troops, not just those from the Civil War.

What date was Decoration Day changed to Memorial Day?

From 1868 to 1970 Memorial Day was observed on May 30, no matter what day of the week it fell on. Originally known as Decoration Day, the observance began shortly after the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971.

Why was May 30 Chosen for Memorial Day?

Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared it should be May 30. It is believed the date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country.

How did Memorial Day originally start?

The Birthplace of Memorial Day and Early Observances By the late 1860s, Americans in various towns and cities had begun holding springtime tributes to these countless fallen soldiers, decorating their graves with flowers and reciting prayers.

What was Memorial Day called before it was called Memorial Day?

The date of Decoration Day, as he called it, was chosen because it wasn’t the anniversary of any particular battle. On the first Decoration Day, General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, and 5,000 participants decorated the graves of the 20,000 Civil War soldiers buried there.

Why do we pause at 3pm on Memorial Day?

The National Moment of Remembrance, established by Congress, asks Americans wherever they are at 3 p.m., local time, on Memorial Day to pause in an act of national unity (duration: one minute). The time 3 p.m. was chosen because it is the time when most Americans are enjoying their freedoms on the national holiday.

When did Memorial Day change from May 30?

In 1968, U.S. Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, establishing Memorial Day as the last Monday in May, effective in 1971, and declaring it a federal holiday. It is just happenstance that this year, in 2022, Memorial Day actually falls on May 30.

Where was Memorial Day celebrated in 1866?

Today, cities in the North and the South claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day in 1866. Both Macon and Columbus, Ga., claim the title, as well as Richmond, Virginia. The village of Boalsburg, Pa., claims it began there two years earlier.

What happened on May 5th 1866?

There, a ceremony on May 5, 1866, honored local veterans who had fought in the Civil War. Businesses closed and residents flew flags at half-staff.

Did Waterloo have a Memorial Day ceremony in May of 1866?

“Waterloo did not have a Memorial Day ceremony in May of 1866.” Gardiner and Bellware found a June 5, 1883, Seneca County News article aggregating a Syracuse Sunday Herald article that referred to a Memorial Day celebration that took place in 1866.