Trending Now - Honoring Civilian Lives: a Call for a New Memorial Day
WHO:
AP News - Ben Railton, a professor of English and American studies at Fitchburg State University in Massachusetts, stated that the holiday in many communities would essentially become “white Memorial Day,” especially after the rise of the Jim Crow South.
ABC News - The holiday is officially about mourning the nation's fallen service members.
ABC News - David Blight is a Yale history professor.
ABC News - Frederick Douglass was an abolitionist who spoke at Arlington National Cemetery.
ABC News - Ben Railton is a professor of English and American studies at Fitchburg State University in Massachusetts.
ABC News - Matthew Dennis is an emeritus history professor at the University of Oregon.
WHAT:
CNN - For more than 40 Revolutionary War-era soldiers, their remains were laid to rest during Memorial Day weekend at the new Repose of the Fallen memorial in Lake George Battlefield Park.
CNN - The remains were unexpectedly unearthed at a construction site in 2019, and the burial included full ceremonial honors.
CNN - Artifacts found with the remains included pewter military buttons from the First Pennsylvania Battalion, which helped archaeologists date the remains back to the Revolutionary War.
CNN - The burial site is believed to have been a burial ground for soldiers who had been housed at a makeshift smallpox hospital during the Revolutionary War.
WTNH - Dozens of people gathered in Middletown for the annual Memorial Day ceremony at the Connecticut State Veterans Cemetery, where preparation included placing 14,000 flags.
NBC News - A group of veterans serving in Congress participated in washing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall to honor those killed during the war.
NY Post - The 158th National Memorial Day Observance was held at the Memorial Amphitheater in Arlington National Cemetery.
Vox - The first observance of what came to be known as Memorial Day was on May 30, 1868, when a Civil War general called on Americans to commemorate the sacrifices of Union soldiers.
ABC News - The holiday has come to signal the unofficial start of summer and a long weekend of travel and discounts on various products.
ABC News - In the 1880s, then-President Grover Cleveland was said to have spent Memorial Day going fishing, which appalled many people.
ABC News - A year after Memorial Day was changed to the last Monday in May, Time Magazine described it as “a three-day nationwide hootenanny that seems to have lost much of its original purpose.”
AP News - In 2023, Railton noted the transformation of Memorial Day into a more generic remembrance of the dead, as well as a day of leisure.
ABC News - Memorial Day is observed in part by the National Moment of Remembrance, which encourages all Americans to pause at 3 p.m. for a moment of silence.
ABC News - The first national observance of Decoration Day occurred on May 30, 1868.
ABC News - The American Civil War resulted in the deaths of more than 600,000 service members.
ABC News - As many as 10,000 people participated in a parade in Charleston, South Carolina, on May 1, 1865.
ABC News - Roughly 180,000 Black men served in the Union Army.
WHERE:
ABC News - The first observance of Decoration Day was in Waterloo, New York.
ABC News - The first observance in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, is traced to October 1864.
ABC News - The parade on May 1, 1865, took place in Charleston, South Carolina.
WHEN:
ABC News - This year, Memorial Day is May 25.
ABC News - Memorial Day falls on the last Monday of May.
ABC News - The Indianapolis 500 held its inaugural race on May 30, 1911.
ABC News - Armistice Day became a national holiday in 1938 and was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.
ABC News - In 1971, Congress changed Memorial Day to the last Monday in May.
WHY:
CNN - The reinterment of the soldiers carries profound meaning as an act of dignity, remembrance, and gratitude, especially as the nation approaches its semiquincentennial.
ABC News - The holiday's origins are traced to the American Civil War, which was fought over issues including enslavement.
ABC News - Concerns were raised that the holiday could become “sacrilegious” if it focused more on pomp and leisure activities.
HOW:
ABC News - The holiday evolved alongside cultural changes, including the rise of baseball and the automobile, and the establishment of the five-day work week and summer vacation.
AP News - Authors Richard Harmond and Thomas Curran wrote that once the holiday moved to Monday, “the traditional barriers against doing business began to crumble.”
ABC News - The holiday evolved alongside cultural changes, including the rise of baseball and the automobile, and the establishment of the five-day work week and summer vacation.
(UPDATED May 26, 2026 06:17 UTC)
In a significant ceremony over Memorial Day weekend, the remains of more than 40 Revolutionary War-era soldiers were laid to rest at the new Repose of the Fallen memorial in Lake George Battlefield Park. These remains were unexpectedly discovered at a construction site in 2019, and the burial included full ceremonial honors, with artifacts like pewter military buttons helping to date them back to the Revolutionary War. This reinterment serves as a powerful act of dignity, remembrance, and gratitude, especially as the nation looks forward to its semiquincentennial.
--
(UPDATED May 26, 2026 01:30 UTC)
Dozens of people gathered in Middletown for the annual Memorial Day ceremony at the Connecticut State Veterans Cemetery, where volunteers placed an impressive 14,000 flags to honor the fallen. Meanwhile, a group of veterans serving in Congress took part in a meaningful tribute by washing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall, paying respect to those who lost their lives during the war. These events highlight the nation's commitment to remembering and honoring its heroes.
--
(UPDATED May 25, 2026 23:16 UTC)
The 158th National Memorial Day Observance took place at the Memorial Amphitheater in Arlington National Cemetery. This annual event honors the brave men and women who have served in the U.S. military. It is a time for reflection and remembrance, bringing together families and communities to pay their respects.
--
(UPDATED May 25, 2026 21:16 UTC)
Memorial Day, which began as a solemn observance on May 30, 1868, to honor the sacrifices of Union soldiers, has transformed over the years into a holiday that marks the unofficial start of summer, filled with travel and shopping discounts. In the 1880s, President Cleveland's decision to spend Memorial Day fishing drew criticism, and after the holiday was moved to the last Monday in May, it was described by Time Magazine as a "three-day nationwide hootenanny" that seemed to stray from its original intent. This evolution reflects broader cultural shifts, including the rise of baseball, the automobile, and the establishment of the five-day work week and summer vacations.
--
(UPDATED May 25, 2026 19:19 UTC)
This year, Memorial Day falls on May 25. It's a time when many people across the nation come together to honor and remember those who have served in the military. As communities prepare for various ceremonies and events, the significance of this day is felt deeply by many.
--
(UPDATED May 25, 2026 13:56 UTC)
Ben Railton, a professor of English and American studies at Fitchburg State University, has pointed out that Memorial Day has evolved in many communities into what he describes as “white Memorial Day,” particularly following the rise of the Jim Crow South. In 2023, Railton observed that the holiday has transformed into a more generic day of remembrance for the dead, as well as a time for leisure. Authors Richard Harmond and Thomas Curran noted that when the holiday was moved to Monday, it led to the breakdown of traditional barriers against conducting business on that day.
--
(UPDATED May 25, 2026 12:07 UTC)
Memorial Day is a solemn holiday dedicated to honoring the nation's fallen service members, with its origins rooted in the American Civil War, which claimed over 600,000 lives. This observance encourages all Americans to pause for a moment of silence at 3 p.m. as part of the National Moment of Remembrance, and it has evolved significantly since its first national observance on May 30, 1868, in Waterloo, New York. The holiday has adapted over time, reflecting cultural shifts such as the rise of baseball and the automobile, as well as changes in work and vacation patterns.