May 25, 2025 3 min read

Hello, summertime.

Memorial Day – the unofficial kickoff of the season – is here.

Time to trade snow boots for swimsuits, fire up the backyard grill or hit the road for some well-deserved R&R.

However you choose to spend the long weekend, don’t lose sight of the reason for the holiday.

Memorial Day has its origin in the years following the Civil War – the country’s bloodiest conflict, killing an estimated 620,000 Americans.

In the war’s aftermath, Gen. John A. Logan called for May 30 to become a day of remembrance, “designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land.”

Though disputed by several other communities, the town of Waterloo, N.Y., is recognized as the first to observe Memorial Day, in 1866, when businesses were closed, flags were flown at half-staff and townspeople decorated war veterans’ graves. A century later, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed a proclamation recognizing the village as the holiday’s birthplace.

For decades, Decoration Day, as it was previously known, was observed every May 30, and after World War I, was expanded to recognize American military members who perished in all wars.

It wasn’t until 1971 that Memorial Day was declared a federal holiday and moved to the last Monday in May, in keeping with the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, passed three years prior to standardize national holidays and give workers a three-day weekend.

Today, in addition to decorating veterans’ graves with flowers and flags, veterans organizations honor deceased war veterans at community honor rolls and cemeteries throughout the nation.

The day includes other tributes as well.

In honor of the fallen, the American flag is flown at half-mast from sunrise until noon, when it is raised to full staff until sunset.

And at 3 p.m., Americans are asked to pause for a moment of silence. The National Moment of Remembrance Act was signed in 2000 to “demonstrate gratitude to those who died for our freedom.” Carmella LaSpada, who advocated for the act, noted, “It’s a way we can all help put the memorial back in Memorial Day.”

The 3 o’clock hour was chosen because it is the time of the day when most Americans are said to be enjoying their freedoms.

So, if you happen to be one of the lucky folks who get the day off, enjoy the respite. But carve out a moment to reflect and thank those who made it possible for you to celebrate in whatever way you choose.

Before you know it, you’ll be saying so long to summer.