Memorial Day, as Decoration Day gradually came to be known, originally honored only those lost while fighting in the Civil War.
Likewise, are Confederate soldiers honored on Memorial Day?
It is an official state holiday in
| Confederate Memorial Day | |
|---|---|
| Type | Cultural |
| Observances | Remembrance of Confederate soldiers who died rebelling against the Union |
Also know, when did the name change from Decoration Day to Memorial Day?
By the start of the 20th century, ceremonies were being held on May 30 around the country. And after World War I, the holiday was expanded to honor all American war fatalities. Congress recognized Decoration Day as a federal holiday in 1938, and the name “Memorial Day” became more commonplace after World War II.
Who really started Memorial Day?
On May 5, 1868, General John A. Logan issued a proclamation calling for “Decoration Day” to be observed annually and nationwide; he was commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), an organization of and for Union Civil War veterans founded in Decatur, Illinois.
Why did the name change to Memorial Day?
By the 1890s, a lot of Northern states had made Decoration Day a state holiday. In the years following World War I, the day picked up the more inclusive name Memorial Day as people began to use it as a time to honor all who died in all US wars.