Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day and first occurred on May 30, 1868. Individuals would decorate the graves of fallen soldiers. New York was the first state to designate Memorial Day as a legal holiday in 1873, and by the late 1800s, Memorial Day was declared a legal holiday in several states. Memorial Day was finally declared a legal holiday throughout the United States in 1971, when Congress passed the Uniform Holiday Act, which established Memorial Day to be celebrated on the last Monday of May.
Approximately 1.4 million individuals are mourned on Memorial Day. Although Memorial Day is a day to celebrate because many in the United States are not working or attending school, it is important to remember that Memorial Day was established to pay remembrance to the men and women who died in service to the United States military, an occupation that is often dangerous and takes much courage to occupy.
Memorial Day is celebrated throughout the United States as it is a federal holiday. People honor the fallen service members by placing miniature American flags on graves and organizing memorial parades.
National Public Radio (NPR), a media outlet in the United States, says, “In honor of deceased military service members. To commemorate this date, NPR wants to know who you are honoring.”
There are different types of ways individuals pay remembrance to fallen soldiers on Memorial Day. One way is informing others of those who have died in service to the U.S. military like NPR is doing by using their weekly newsletter, Up First.
On Memorial Day, Santa Ana will be hosting a Memorial Day Program on Monday, May 27, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. The program will take place in front of the Soldiers’ Monument near the entrance from Santa Clara Ave. The program will include a color guard, a parade of flags, special guest speakers and more.
In Santa Ana the public honors and remembers veterans through art like the “Among Heroes” a 20 by 34 foot mural created by Carlos Aguilar. The mural is located in 902 E. Washington Ave was made to honor the 160 Mexican American service men from the Logan neighborhood in Santa Ana who served during World War II.
Many families have lost relatives and close friends who were servicemen and servicewomen for the United States, making Memorial Day a day they grieve for their loss. Memorial Day also serves as a reminder to respect those in military service. Memorial Day is dedicated to these individuals to mourn their death and ensure their contributions are never forgotten.
