May 30, 1868: First Observance Of Memorial Day

Visual Day In History
Written By Edward Moran

Memorial Day (also known as Decoration Day) was established in 1868 to honor the fallen soldiers of the Civil War. It was traditionally celebrated on May 30 until 1967, when the observance was moved to the fourth Monday in May. The WPA poster below from 1937 depicts children offering flowers to a veteran, most likely one of the dwindling number of Civil War veterans, some of whom were then centenarians.

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Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier, Arlington, Cemetery, Washington, DC

Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier, Arlington, Cemetery, Washington, DC

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Edward Moran

Edward is a literary historian specializing in nineteenth- and twentieth-century American social and cultural history. He was associate editor of the World Authors reference series published by H. W. Wilson. He was also associate editor of the Random House Dictionary of the English Language, the English language editor for the Japanese American News Corporation, chief editor of Global Rhythm magazine, and a contributing writer to the St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture.

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