After the Civil War, Union General John A. Logan wanted to create a holiday in order to honor those who had been lost in the war. Originally the general named it Decoration Day for people to decorate the graves of those who they had lost.
All around America many stores will close and take time off in order to honor the holiday. People will do classic “American” things such as have a cook-out, go to the beach, or attend parades to celebrate.
“I am going to go over to my grandparent’s house and have a nice cookout. It’s a tradition that we do every year, and it is something that I look forward to every year,” said junior Gabriella Volpe.
Many will also attend different parades that go on every year. The oldest parade running in the US is the one in Rochester, Wisconsin which has been around since 1867. This year, the parade is celebrating its 157th year in action, which calls for a large celebration. The longest parade in length is almost three hours and takes place on Constitution Avenue in Washington D.C.
The oldest and most famous one in Connecticut is Noank’s Memorial Day Parade, held in Norwich, Connecticut. This year the parade is having its 142nd parade, which has been running since 1882.
Parades, cook-outs are some of the most popular ways to celebrate Memorial Days. Families often gather together in order to celebrate those who they have lost or just to be together with family and friends.
Memorial Day was made to honor those who had been lost in wars, whether it was the Civil War or one of the more recent wars every Veteran should be honored. So this weekend do at least one thing to try to honor a Veteran. Whether it is attending a parade, having a cook-out or going to the beach.
Works Cited
Ecelbarger, Gary. “John A. Logan | Civil War General, US Senator & Politician.” Britannica, 23 April 2024, https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-A-Logan. Accessed 21 May 2024.
“Memorial Day history.” National Cemetery Administration, https://www.cem.va.gov/history/Memorial-Day-History.asp. Accessed 21 May 2024.“The Origins of Memorial Day.” VA.gov, https://www.va.gov/opa/publications/celebrate/memday.pdf. Accessed 21 May 2024.
