Most people are looking forward to having a three-day weekend with the celebration of Memorial Day Monday. But, how many people truly understand the meaning of the day?
The origins of Memorial Day are varied depending on which source people choose to use. Three different states, including Mississippi, began decorating the graves of soldiers in 1865. The other two states are Virginia and South Carolina.
Because we live in Mississippi, we will side with the actual day starting here in Columbus, Miss., in 1866, when four ladies decided to decorate the confederate soldiers’ graves with flowers. The ladies understanding, the grief people experience in losing a loved one in battle, decorated the Union soldiers’ graves as well. Through this selfless act, Memorial Day, or as it was previously called, Decoration Day came to be.
Two years later, Gen. John A. Logan, with a Union soldiers' organization, issued a proclamation making Decoration Day an official occasion, following the three southern states. Eventually, all states adopted a form of Decoration Day to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers in memory of them paying the ultimate sacrifice.
May 30 was the date the nation decided upon to celebrate the day. The date had a specific purpose. Because the idea was to decorate the graves with flowers, May was chosen because a lot of flowers are in bloom.
As time went by, eventually the holiday was renamed Memorial Day, and U.S. Congress moved it to the last Monday in May to allow for a three-day weekend.
Most people know a good bit of the history mentioned above. However, because the day has become associated with the kick-off of summer, barbecues and parties, Congress issued the National Moment of Remembrance Act to remind people what Memorial Day is really about in 2000. Every Memorial Day, at 3 p.m. local time, everyone is to pause and reflect on the sacrifice of soldiers’ lives in the name of freedom. Events such as Major League Baseball games pause for a moment, and trains will sound their horns in memory of them.
There is only one problem with that: Many people do not even know what the act really is or that it even exits.
A C-P reporter asked eight people if they knew what the National Moment of Remembrance Act was. The question was posed to veterans, civilians, men and women. All eight of them said they did not know about the act.
Ginger Keggereis first thought it had something to do with 9/11. The other seven just plainly said no, they had idea.
Four more people were asked if they knew what has supposed to happen at 3 p.m. on Memorial Day. One person said a nap with a laugh, but that person and two others did not know. Arvin Broom said he thought it might have something to do with the Memorial Day service at the courthouse. However, no one actually knew.
Another Memorial Day act that most people do not know is regarding the United States Flag. The flag is to be raised at sunrise to halfmast. At noontime the flag is to be quickly raised to fullmast and stay that way until sunset.
Enjoy the holiday and the long weekend, but remember to stop at 3 p.m. Monday and reflect on why you can enjoy the day.
