Decoration Day = Memorial Day

May 30th

It appears that lately I cannot escape Decoration Day.  But just why do we decorate at Memorial Day?

Decorated Office at Indian Creek Campground

Alan Jabbour sparked my first recent recollection of the term at a house concert in 2009 where he played fiddle and Ken Perlman the banjo.  During a break he discussed the recent book written by he and Karen Singer Jabbour, Decoration Day in the Mountains.  This discussion brought to mind my childhood in St. Augustine (FL) when we would visit and decorate family graves on an annual basis.  

Shortly after arriving in North Carolina Karen and Alan presented a formal discussion of the book in Cullowhee at the Western Carolina University Mountain Heritage Center.  The trip was about an hour and worthy of the drive across the mountains to hear the lecture and see the campus.

A week later we obtained a flyer for hikes in Deep Creek from the Chamber of Commerce in Bryson City, NC.  Further study of the pamphlet revealed the back page a listing of the dates for decoration days at regional cemeteries.  Ah, the plot thickens...

Cemetery in the Smokey Mountain National Park

So, it came as little surprise when listening to WUNC NPR last evening the radio host shared Memorial Day was previously called Decoration Day.

A little search in the great Digital Library (Internet) reveals the first recorded observance as
On April 25, 1866, in Columbus, Mississippi, a women's association decorated the graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers. In a nation trying to find a way to move on after a war that split the country, states, communities and even families, this gesture was welcomed as a way to lay the past to rest while honoring those who had fought on either side.
This from a trusted source, About.com.  Notice once again the women were ahead of the pack in honoring the fallen soldiers.  More important they wanted to let bygones be bygone and honor all soldiers regardless of their political persuasion.  Perhaps our elected officials should follow their lead and represent all people rather than their 'base'.  

It was 1868 when General John Logan set May 30th as the date to decorate graves of the fallen.  Almost 100 years later in 1966 President Lyndon Johnson made May 30th an official holiday and in 1971 the holiday was renamed Memorial Day and moved to the last Monday in May.  

Family celebrating Memorial Day

So there you have the history and meaning of the day.  As we celebrate a three day weekend with friends and family perhaps we should reflect on those who have given much for our country and not only the soldiers who died protecting our country.  Then I urge you to be a patriot and question the necessity of war.

Happy Memorial Day

Happy Decoration Day