The Significance of Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a day to remember and honor men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. This holiday is celebrated every year on the last Monday of May. Many people consider Memorial Day to be the unofficial start of the season. This year, we celebrate the holiday on May 26th.
However, Memorial Day has the word “memorial” in it for a reason: This holiday was first celebrated on May 30th, 1868, when Union General John A. Logan declared the day an occasion to decorate the graves of Civil War soldiers. Twenty years later, the name was changed to Memorial Day.
On May 11th, 1950, Congress passed a resolution requesting that the President issue a proclamation calling on Americans to observe each Memorial Day as a day of prayer for permanent peace and designating a period on that day when the people of the United States might unite in prayer. President Richard M. Nixon declared Memorial Day a federal holiday in 1971. It is an occasion to honor the men and women who died in all wars.
As mentioned, Memorial Day has now long been a federal holiday. Most Government offices are closed, as are schools, businesses and other organizations. Most public transit systems do not run on their regular schedule. Many people see Memorial Day weekend as an opportunity to go on a short vacation or visit family or friends. Many people also choose to hold picnics, sports events and family gatherings on this weekend. This day is traditionally seen as the start of the summer season for cultural events. Most of our offices will be running lean on Memorial Day. However, feel free to contact us for all your urgent translation and/or interpretation needs. We will do our to meet your deadline.