Remembering What Memorial Day Is For - Frank Salvato

"As we enter into the Memorial Day weekend, many people are preparing their families for a weekend of fun, sunshine, the celebration of the unofficial beginning of Summer, BBQs, picnics and the like. Many people will be traveling to see family and friends, taking the opportunity that an extended weekend affords, to spend time with the ones they value most in life. While all of these actions can be considered 'traditional,' they miss the mark on what Memorial Day is all about and miss it by a country mile.

The origin of Memorial Day centers on the American Civil War. This day, originally set at May 30th of every year, was at first an observance of those who died fighting for the Union cause.

One scholar, Professor David Blight of Yale University’s history department, cites the first Memorial Day as having taken place in 1865 in Charleston, South Carolina. On this day, according to Professor Blight, liberated slaves and Union soldiers gathered on the grounds of a former Confederate prison camp, grounds that also served as a mass grave for Union soldiers. A solemn parade ensued culminating in the singing of patriotic songs, a picnic and a remembrance of those who gave their lives to secure the unity of the Union."

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