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Memorial Day is fast approaching. This year’s Memorial Day falls on Monday, May 30, 2016. The annual holiday is observed on the last Monday of May. With that in mind, you can figure out the dates for Memorial Day from 2017 to 2020 —
May 29, 2017
May 28, 2018
May 27, 2019
May 25, 2020
Parades, barbecues and weekend getaways are popular activities on the federal holiday. Many Americans view Memorial Day as the mark of the beginning of summer.
What is Memorial Day?
In case you were under the impression Memorial Day began with World War I, but no, it didn’t. It actually started way before that – with the American Civil War (1861-65). Memorial Day was a response to the unprecedented bloodshed of the Civil War, in which some 620,000 soldiers on both sides died.
At first, the holiday was called Decoration Day where the holiday was known for the practice of decorating graves with flowers, wreaths, and flags. The name Memorial Day goes back to 1882, but the older name didn’t disappear until after World War II. Federal law declared “Memorial Day” the official name in 1967.
For most people, the central event is attending one of the thousands of parades held on Memorial Day in cities large or small across the country. Most of these feature marching bands of men in uniform and an overall military theme. The National Guard and other servicemen along with veterans and military vehicles from various wars, are all part of the parade.
Just because Memorial Day is a solemn occasion doesn’t mean you should feel guilty for having some fun. Because after all, is a also a time when Americans are enjoying the freedom which soldiers from the past have so fought hard to protect.
