Roots of Memorial Day run back to the 1860s
By: Hayley Peterson
Special to The Examiner
May 22, 2009
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| The National Memorial Day Parade starts at 2 p.m. Monday. (Examiner file) |
There are many stories about the origins of Memorial Day, the roots of which stretch as far back as the 1860s.
Some say the holiday began with a few Southern mothers decorating the deathbeds of their fallen sons, soldiers in the Civil War. Others say the holiday began in Waterloo, N.Y., where former President Lyndon B. Johnson officially declared the birthplace of the holiday in May 1966. Still others say it was Gen. John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, who proclaimed the holiday in 1868.
But no certainty of the holiday’s origin is necessary in the nation’s capital — where hundreds of thousands of Americans flock each year to honor the generations of warriors who died in service to their country. Maybe it’s the history written on the District’s walls and monuments, the epigraphs engraved in headstones at the Arlington National Cemetery or the statues of soldiers frozen and armed — that make D.C. a mecca for remembering the country’s veterans.
So slip your feet into some comfortable walking shoes and grab a map of the city to celebrate Memorial Day.
» National Memorial Day Concert: PBS sponsors this free events on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. Gary Sinise (Lt. Dan of “Forrest Gump” fame, who now travels with the Lt. Dan Band to entertain troops) and other celebrities are expected at the concert by the National Symphony Orchestra. 8 p.m. Sunday.
» National Memorial Day Parade: Marching bands and veterans units from all 50 states will march in this parade sponsored by the World War II Veterans Committee. The parade begins at 2 p.m. Monday at the corner of Constitution Avenue and Seventh Street NW.
» Rolling Thunder: Started by Vietnam War vets, this annual event seeks to bring attention to veterans benefits and POW/MIA issues. Watch the motorcycle rally depart from the Pentagon at noon Sunday.
» Wreath-laying ceremony and concert: This event to honor all fallen veterans begins at 11 a.m. Monday at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery.
» Music from the Marines: The U.S. Marine Band performs a free concert to kick off Wolf Trap Park’s summer season. The Sunday concert will be followed by fireworks at 8 p.m. Gates open at 6:30 p.m.
