Remembering Memorial Day

Memorial Day was started by former slaves on May, 1, 1865 in Charleston, SC to honor 257 dead Union Soldiers who had been buried in a mass grave in a Confederate prison camp. They dug up the bodies and worked for 2 weeks to give them a proper burial as gratitude for fighting for their freedom. They then held a parade of 10,000 people led by 2,800 Black children where they marched, sang and celebrated.

{via: The Blue Street Journal}



Not my usual start, but I thought I'd begin with a reminder of how the holiday that just passed got it's start.

Memorial Day is still the least celebrated of the major holidays that I've experienced since moving to Georgia.  And I don't mean just in the sense that we don't honor enough those who sacrificed their all in the defense of this nation, and the freedoms that we have come to cherish, and are even attempting to slowly expand to this day. This area does a good job in being respectful of any holiday with a military connection.

But what they don't do, at least in the numbers I am familiar with, is let people out of work, or unrelated social/civic events.  My wife Alison, who does get plenty of days off in working for the school system, did not get yesterday off.  Benjamin had it off, but only because his school ended last Friday.  So to him it's just the start of Summer break.  I had it off, but as accountants, it is our first holiday since New Year's Day.  Now that, my friends, is a long stretch.  I had some friends whose kids were still engaged in dance and other activities that you think would have been rescheduled due to the holiday.

I'm not quite sure why this is.  I know in first moving here in the late seventies, there seemed to be some conflict as whether to acknowledge this day, or a Confederate Memorial Day that was a state holiday.  But the best I can tell, that division is now over.

Could it be due to the roots of the holiday, as shown above? African Americans honoring Union soldiers?  I'd like to think not.  I think that is a part of history that has been either forgotten or disregarded by most of the people in this area, and is not a part of their decision to celebrate or not.

At one time Memorial Day was called Decoration Day.  Graves of soldiers who served were supposed to be decorated.  We don't do that as much anymore, but I think that is part of a cultural shift rather than disrespect.  People don't go to cemeteries as frequently as they used to.  Not that some of you that read this don't still do that.  Nothing is universal.

Through the BBQ and recreation, through the environment where many of us are still engaged as if it were a routine day (work or otherwise), I still remember, honor and respect those who served this country to preserve our freedoms, liberties, civil rights, and  national security, both in the military and in civilian life.  Many have sacrificed for us to be in the position we are in....soldiers....unionizers....civil rights workers...environmentalists....suffragists... and others.  Far more in the military have made the ultimate sacrifice, but there are those in the other groups who have also sacrificed everything.  And I salute, respect, and remember them all.