Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May each year. It commemorates U.S. military personnel who died in service. Originally known as Decoration Day, it began as a way to honor Civil War ...

Here's what to know about the holiday. After the Civil War ended, the practice of "decoration days" evolved into what is now Memorial Day. According to the DVA, "On May 5, 1868, the Grand Army of ...

A federal holiday since 1971, Memorial Day’s history stretches back to the Civil War when it was known as Decoration Day. May 30 was designated “for the purpose of strewing with flowers ...

For many years, the commemoration was widely referred to as “Decoration Day.” But as it evolved to honor not only Civil War soldiers but all troops who had fallen serving the country ...

Originally called Decoration Day, Memorial Day's history goes back to the Civil War. It was was declared a national holiday by Congress in 1971, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs.