How Memorial Day was hijacked.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

Memorial Day was first celebrated as "Decoration Day". It was started in Charleston, S.C. by freed slaves to decorate the graves of 257 Union prisoners that had died while confined in the local race course and buried there. Members of local black churches built a wall around the burial ground, and gardeners arranged he graves in neat rows. An arch was erected naming it "The Martyrs of the Race Course." Thousands of ex-slaves marched to it on May 1, 1867, led by 3000 black school children from the newly established "Freedom Schools". They spread flowers over the graves.

It was a day of mourning for the fallen liberators and a celebration of the freedom they brought.

Later, as Reconstruction was abandoned in favor of "reconciliation", it became "Memorial Day". It was no longer fashionable, or politically correct, to see the Civil War as a movement to free the slaves. The Freedom Schools were closed. The Freedman's Bureau was shut down, the Union Troops were withdrawn and the new apartheid was installed. Now, it was a "Memorial Day" for all the fallen soldiers on both sides. Even though many of those soldiers fought to retain the slavery that the founders of Decoration Day had celebrated the end of.

This is a very brief synopsis from a book called "Race and Reunion" by David W. Blight.

[Sequoia]

1. I didn't know that, thank you.

Of course this part was never mentioned in our upbringing.

[bryant69]

2. That's not surprising

The international labor holiday - May Day - was inaugurated in the United States. But fear of it's union and socialist origins caused the Congress to create Labor Day instead, rendering it toothless in the process.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Selatius]

9. Cleveland feared May Day would become a rally point for socialists

The origins of the American Labor Day can be traced back to the Knights of Labor in the United States, and a parade organized by them at that time on September 5, 1882 in New York City. In 1884 another parade was held, and the Knights passed resolutions to make this an annual event. Other labour organizations (and there were many), but notably the affiliates of the International Workingmen's Association who were seen as a hotbed of socialists and anarchists, favoured a May 1 holiday. With the event of Chicago's Haymarket riots in early May of 1886, president Grover Cleveland believed that a May 1 holiday could become an opportunity to commemorate the riots. But fearing it may strengthen the socialist movement, he quickly moved in 1887 to support the position of the Knights of Labor and their date for Labor Day. The date was adopted in Canada in 1894 by the government of Prime Minister John Thompson, although the concept of a Labour Day actually originated with marches in both Toronto and Ottawa in 1872. On the other hand, socialist delegates in Paris in 1889 appointed May 1 as the official International Labour Day.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labor_day

The lesson of the day: Socialism bad! Very, very bad!

[WI_DEM]

3. That is sad

Wasn't it also at one time Armistince Day? to commemorate the end of the First World War? That went by the wayside too.

[NinetySix]

4. Armistice Day became Veterans' Day (US) and Remembrance Day (UK, Canada)

[Career Prole]

5. That's Veterans Day now.

Nov. 11th

[WI_DEM]

6. Ok, that's right, thanks.

[Career Prole]

7. That's a new one to me.

Thanks for teaching me! :thumbsup:

[Lex]

8. My ancestor Gen. John Logan made the Proclaimation establishing

Memorial Day as a national observance. Part of his proclaimation is excerpted below.

-----

The History of Memorial Day

Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day because it was a time set aside to honor the nation's Civil War dead by decorating their graves. It was first widely observed on May 30, 1868, to commemorate the sacrifices of Civil War soldiers, by proclamation of General John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of former sailors and soldiers. On May 5, 1868, Logan declared in General Order No. 11 that:

The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.

Here's the full order: http://suvcw.org/logan.htm

During the first celebration of Decoration Day, General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, after which 5,000 participants helped to decorate the graves of the more than 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried in the cemetery.

This 1868 celebration was inspired by local observances of the day in several towns throughout America that had taken place in the three years since the Civil War. In fact, several Northern and Southern cities claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day, including Columbus, Miss.; Macon, Ga.; Richmond, Va.; Boalsburg, Pa.; and Carbondale, Ill.


http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/memorial/index.jsp?page=history

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

10. Logan is mentioned in the book. pp. 71 and 157

As are parts of the order.