05/27/2017
Demetria Bail Bonds pays tribute to those men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice. We honor all who served and are serving this Memorial Day 2017 and beyond. We urge you share the message of this post and help to remind those in your community of the true meaning of Memorial Day. To pray for and say thank you to soldiers and their families whose sacrifices may be sadly forgotten.
HISTORY OF MEMORIAL DAY:
General John A. Logan cited in May 1868 that May 30th should be a national day of commemoration for the more than 620,000 soldiers killed in the recently ended Civil War. On this day (Decoration Day), Americans should decorate and lay flowers on the graves of the war dead "Whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land." (see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_Day)
It's believed that Logan chose May 30th as it was a day that had never seen a Civil War battle. Historians believe it was this coupled with the fact that the date was chosen as flowers were in full bloom at this time of the year.
On June 28th, 1968, Congress signed into law the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May which went into effect January 1, 1971 (see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Monday_Holiday_Act)
Despite the increasing celebration of the holiday as a summer rite of passage, endless barbecues, etc, there are still formal rituals:
1. On Memorial Day, the American flag should be placed at half-staff until noon, taps are played, then the flag is to be raised to the top of the staff.
2. All Americans (regardless where they reside) are encouraged to pause for a National Moment of Remembrance on Monday, May 29th, 2017 at 3 p.m. local time.