What is Memorial Day?
[[File:The March of Time, by Henry Sandham.jpg|thumbnail|upright|Memorial Day, Boston by Henry Sandham]] '''Memorial Day''' is a national [[holiday]] in the [[United States]]. It is also a [[U.S. state|state]] holiday in many states. The holiday honors [[military|troops]] who have died in past [[war]]s like [[World War I]] and the [[Korean War]]. It was founded by [[United States Army|U.S. Army]] General John A. Logan, who fought in the Civil War and the [[Mexican–American War]]. Memorial Day was first held in 1865 after the [[American Civil War]]. It was called '''Decoration Day''' at that time. The holiday was first called Memorial Day in 1882, and became a federal holiday in 1967. On June 28, 1968, the [[United States Congress]] made a [[law]] that said that the official Memorial Day holiday is May 30, but that Memorial Day was to be observed by federal employees as a paid holiday on the last Monday in May. Memorial Day is thought of by many Americans as being the start of [[summer]]. {{US Federal Holidays}} {{U.S. Holidays}} {{US-stub}} [[Category:May observances]]