In Remembrance

Nationally, Americans celebrate Memorial Day on the fourth Monday in May. It is a time for the Country to remember the ultimate sacrifice that has been paid from those serving this Nation since the Civil War. Though the origins of the day of remembrance are somewhat sketchy, with both the North and South claiming credit, it has been a time of reverence for those lost in the service of their Country since the mid 1860s. It wasn’t until the mid 1960s that Waterloo, New York was officially declared, by the President of the United States and Congress, as the birthplace of Memorial Day. In the early 1970s, the day was expanded to extend beyond just the Civil War and include all times of service. Originally, known as Decoration Day, as graves are often decorated on this day, Memorial Day was declared a National Holiday by act of Congress in 1971 and is a part of the uniform holiday act. As years passed, Memorial Day has also become the unofficial beginning of summer and is often celebrated with trips, boating, picnics and parties. To ensure that the true objective of Memorial Day is not forgotten, in December of 2000 the Congress passed The National Moment of Remembrance Act and it was signed into law by the President of the United States. As an act, it encourages all Americans to pause in their activities at 3 pm local time on Memorial Day for a moment of silence to remember those that paid the ultimate sacrifice for the Nation.