Hey Philly newsletter editor Asha Prihar contributed to this article.
Inspired by the centuries-old tradition of decorating graves with flowers, Memorial Day has its beginnings in the aftermath of the Civil War. Today, the observance takes place on the last Monday in May to honor those who have died during military service.
The History of Memorial Day
On May 5, 1868, General John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic (an organization of Union veterans) issued General Orders No. 11, designating May 30 as a day “of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves” of soldiers who were killed during the Civil War. Philly’s first observance of the holiday happened in Laurel Hill Cemetery that year. Originally called Decoration Day, the date was chosen to ensure the availability of “the choicest flowers of springtime.”
Boalsburg, a village in Centre County, Pennsylvania, is one of a few municipalities in the country who claim to be the first community to celebrate Memorial Day. According to the Boalsburg Heritage Museum, residents started observing a similar flower-scattering tradition in July 1865.
New York was the first state to designate Memorial Day as a holiday in 1873. All Union states followed suit by 1890. Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act in 1968 to designate the last Monday in May as Memorial Day, calling on the people of the United States to remember fallen soldiers and pray for permanent peace. It officially went into effect in 1971.
Memorial Day Weekend Events in Philly
🇺🇸 All Weekend
- The National Constitution Center is offering free admission and activities including flag ceremonies, lectures, crafts, and discussions on U.S. memorials. (Saturday through Monday)
- The Museum of the American Revolution is hosting special programming and offering free admission to veterans, military members, and Blue Star Families. (Saturday through Monday)
- The “Commemorations” art installation — described as “an outdoor exhibition that celebrates the art of remembrance through the vibrant display of artist-designed flags” — debuts Friday, May 24, at Spruce Street Harbor Park.
🇺🇸 Sunday, May 26
- The General George Meade Society is dedicating markers at previously unmarked graves, laying wreaths, and more at its annual Memorial Day celebration at Laurel Hill East. (Noon)
🇺🇸 Monday, May 27
- The Independence Seaport Museum is holding its free Memorial Day ceremony aboard the Olympia, a steel cruiser ship docked in the Delaware River. (10 a.m.)
- The Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Spruce Street is hosting an observance to honor those who have died in combat, particularly in the Vietnam War. (Noon)
- Christ Church Burial Ground is hosting a gathering to honor the fallen soldiers buried there. (1 p.m.)
