Memorial Day is a big holiday in the United States. Students stay home from school. Many workers take the day off too. But what’s the holiday about?
Many Americans don’t know. Well, you should know why Memorial Day matters.
The word memorial means “to remember.” That means “Memorial Day” is a day to remember. Memorial Day is a day to remember the men and women who died serving the United States. It honors those who gave everything they had.
The holiday started in 1868. It was called Decoration Day at first. That’s because people would decorate soldiers’ graves with flowers and flags.
It’s been more than 155 years since that first Memorial Day. Many people still decorate graves. Others wear red . People also lower the American flag as a sign of respect.
President Ronald Reagan gave a Memorial Day speech in 1982. He spoke at Arlington National Cemetery. That’s in Arlington, Virginia. Reagan talked about America’s fallen soldiers. “We must try to honor them,” Reagan said. “With our actions we must to keep faith.”
U.S. President Bill Clinton also gave a speech. He spoke in 1998. Clinton said Americans enjoy friends and family on Memorial Day. He added, “We remember how much was given so we could enjoy this day in freedom.”
Updated May 23, 2023, 5:01 P.M. (ET)
By Russell Kahn (Russ)
