Memorial Day

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Memorial Day, celebrated the last Monday in May, commemorates the men and women who have died in service to their country.

The origins of the holiday are not definite, but Waterloo, NY was one of the first cities to observe this holiday. It was originally known as Decoration Day because it was celebrated by decorating graves with flags and flowers.

The first general recognition of the holiday was an order given by General John A. Logan, the commander of the Grand Army of the Republic in 1868.

In 1966, Waterloo was designated the Birthplace of Memorial Day.

More than 1 million men and women have died in America's wars since 1775.

Web Sites

• U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
• Memorial Day
• Library of Congress
• History Channel

Catalog

Search the library's catalog for:

• Memorial Day – Children’s material
• Holidays – United States -- History
• Soldiers Biography – Children's material
• American Wars

Databases

Enter the phrase, Memorial Day in these databases:

• eLibrary
• Encyclopedia Americana
• Gale Group:
•    General OneFile
•    Student Resource Center Gold