Memorial Day, formerly known as Decoration Day, is a federal holiday in the United States for honoring and mourning the U.S. military personnel who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. It is observed on the last Monday of May. From 1868 to 1970, it was observed on May 30.

The holiday originated in the years following the Civil War to commemorate the Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the war. Various towns and cities held springtime tributes to these fallen soldiers, decorating their graves with flowers. In 1868, General John A. Logan, the commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of Union veterans, established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. He declared that it should be May 30, the anniversary of the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee to Union General Ulysses S. Grant.

The first large observance of Decoration Day was held that year at Arlington National Cemetery, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. The ceremonies centered around the mourning- draped veranda of the Arlington mansion, once the home of Gen. Robert E. Lee.

Decoration Day quickly became a popular tradition throughout the United States. By the early 1900s, it was celebrated in all 50 states. In 1971, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which moved Memorial Day to the last Monday in May. This change was made to create a three-day weekend for federal employees.

Today, Memorial Day is a day for Americans to remember and honor all those who have died in service to their country. It is a time to reflect on the sacrifices that have been made for our freedom and to rededicate ourselves to the ideals of democracy and peace.

Here are some ways to observe Memorial Day:

• Visit a cemetery and pay your respects to the fallen.
• Attend a Memorial Day ceremony.
• Fly the American flag at half-staff.
• Donate to a veterans' organization.
• Volunteer your time to help veterans.
• Take some time to reflect on the sacrifices that have been made for our country.