This Memorial Day while you are enjoying your picnics and BBQ’s take a step back and remember why Memorial Day, or Decoration Day is celebrated in the first place.

Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day and was started after the Civil War as a way to remember those who had died during service. Below are a few more facts that you may or may not know about Memorial Day.

Although hundreds of communities had been independently celebrating Decoration Day, or Memorial Day, the federal government first declared Waterloo, New York the official birthplace of the holiday. Decoration Day was first celebrated on May 5 in 1866.

Although May 30 was the day of celebration for decades, Congress established the federal holiday as the last Monday in May in 1971.

Known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day honored members of the military who actually died during the Civil War from 1861 to 1865.

About 620,000 Americans died during the Civil war. Those deaths make it the deadliest war on record in the United States. Nearly 644,000 Americans have passed in all of the other conflicts combined.

President Bill Clinton signed the National Moment of Remembrance Act on December 28, 2000. The President designated 3:00 pm local time as a National Moment of Remembrance on Memorial Day.

Red poppies are a symbol of remembrance and is a tradition honoring those who have given their life in war.

Although Memorial Day was originally started as a holiday that honored the Union soldiers, some Southern states still honor the confederates observing other days know as Confederate Decoration Day.

Over 5,000 people attended the first Decoration Day at the Arlington National Cemetery in 1866. That is roughly the same amount of people who attend Memorial services today.

This Memorial Day take a moment to thank the men and women who have sacrificed their lives for your country.

Have a safe and happy Memorial Day from Knoxweb!