Memorial Day more than unofficial start of summer. Some facts about the holiday
Memorial Day has become synonymous with the start of the summer season, a time for barbecues, pool openings and special retail sales.
But the holiday is, first and foremost, a somber occasion, as we remember those who were lost fighting for their country.
Memorial Day began shortly after the Civil War, America's bloodiest war, with about 620,000 soldiers killed. On May 5, 1868, the head of an organization for Union veterans -- the Grand Army of the Republic -- declared "Decoration Day" as a day to honor the war dead with flowers.
What is Memorial Day?
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared it should be May 30. It is believed the date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country.
The first Decoration Day was held that year at Arlington National Cemetery, drawing a crowd of about 5,000.
The Arlington mansion, once the home of Confederate Army Gen. Robert E. Lee, was draped with mourning bunting, and various officials, including Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, attended the ceremonies. Flowers were placed on both Union and Confederate graves, along with small American flags, a tradition maintained today.
Major General James A. Garfield spoke at the ceremony, saying ""We do not know one promise these men made, one pledge they gave, one word they spoke; but we do know they summed up and perfected, by one supreme act, the highest virtues of men and citizens. For love of country they accepted death, and thus resolved all doubts, and made immortal their patriotism and their virtue."
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Before the 1868 ceremony, local remembrances had already been held in various places, including Mississippi and New York. In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson declared Waterloo, N.Y., as the "birthplace" of Memorial Day; a ceremony there on May 5, 1866, honored the war dead by placing flowers on graves, closing businesses, and having flags fly at half-staff.
Still, many other towns and cities throughout the country claim to have started Memorial Day, including Macon and Columbus, Ga., Richmond, Va. and Carbondale, Ill.
By the end of the 19th century, Memorial Day ceremonies were being held throughout the nation on May 30. But it was not until after World War I that the day began to honor those who have died in all American wars, not just the Civil War.
When did Memorial Day become a national holiday?
Congress declared the last Monday in May to be a Memorial Day, a national holiday, in 1971.
Both Memorial Day and Veterans Day, Nov. 11, honor those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Memorial Day, though, is reserved for those who perished while defending their country.
Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of the summer travel season, and AAA estimates 42.7 million people are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home for the holiday, a 7% increase over last year.
Memorial Day sales push mattresses, grills
The holiday weekend is also known for retail sales: Consumer Reports says that May is the best time of the year to buy things like mattresses, gas grills and patio furniture.
How did Memorial Day become associated with mattress sales? Most Americans move between May and August, making this time of year prime time for bedding purchases.
Jean Mikle covers Toms River and several other Ocean County towns, and has been writing about local government and politics at the Jersey Shore for nearly 39 years. She's also passionate about the Shore's storied music scene. Contact her: @jeanmikle, jmikle@gannettnj.com.
Sources: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, The History Channel, AAA, Consumer Reports.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: What is Memorial Day about?
