MEMORIAL DAY (May 28)

•  The custom of honoring ancestors by cleaning cemetery grounds and decorating graves is an ancient and worldwide tradition, but the specific origins of Memorial Day, or Decoration Day as it was first known, are unclear. After the Civil War, America’s need for a secular, patriotic ceremony to honor its military dead became prominent, as monuments to fallen soldiers were erected and dedicated, and ceremonies centering on the decoration of soldiers’ graves were held in towns and cities throughout the nation. For many years, states observed the holiday on different dates. By federal law, however, Memorial Day is now celebrated on the last Monday in May.