Civil War journalism. Union naval victories in the Civil War. Mississippi River flooding. May 30 may have been chosen because that was the date of discharge of the last Union volunteers. Memorial Day was declared a federal holiday in 1968 and is celebrated in almost every state on the last Monday in May to honor all those who lost their lives in military service for the United States.
Many southern states honor their military dead on separate days as well.
On Memorial Day, people decorate the graves of military personnel with flowers and flags, and many flags throughout American cities hang at half- staff. Military parades and other special programs honor those who fought and died for the United States since the Civil War. To honor those who died at sea, some United States ports fill miniature ships with flowers and set them afloat on the water. Since the end of World War I, Memorial Day has also been Poppy Day, when small, red artificial poppies are sold in order to help disabled veterans. This site provides poems, prayers, background on the holiday, and a comprehensive list of sites related to Memorial Day.