We Americans celebrate Memorial Day to honor and remember the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Even though the date has also become associated with the unofficial start of summer - with cookouts & travel - the day continues to represent a solemn day of national mourning. It remains a day to honor U.S. military members who lost their lives in service for their country.
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Memorial Day began after the Civil War, when communities across the country started decorating soldiers’ graves with flowers. This practice was called Decoration Day. The first national observance was held on May 30, 1868, at Arlington National Cemetery. The date was chosen because flowers would be blooming across much of the country. After World War I, the day expanded to honor all Americans who died in any U.S. war. In 1971, it officially became “Memorial Day” and a federal holiday observed on the last Monday in May. [Britannica]
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