According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Memorial Day originally began as Decoration Day on May 5, 1868.
The day was set aside to decorate the graves of America’s military dead three years after the Civil War. The date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country. It’s now a federal holiday.
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While Memorial Day marks the “unofficial start of Summer” and many use it as a time to relax with family and friends, it’s also a time to pay tribute to those who served our nation by giving the ultimate sacrifice.
The News4JAX Team would like to know you and your family’s Memorial Day Traditions and Tributes. Please leave a comment below or if you’d like, share a story of a special fallen veteran in your life. You can even upload their photo.
We’d love to share them and honor the men and women who gave their lives to keep our country free.