Every year, Memorial Day and Labor Day roll around, and while some of us get to enjoy a day off from work on these holidays, many of us don’t understand the meaning or purpose behind these uniquely American celebrations. (Husband was surprised and delighted when I reminded him the other night that he had a three day weekend coming up.) Quite frankly, I didn’t have a deep understanding of the significance. But now, The Word Nerd can help you appreciate these holidays.
The background on Memorial Day
According to History.com, Memorial Day was originally celebrated as Decoration Day. It started in the years after the American Civil War. So many people died during the Civil War that the country needed to establish national cemeteries. By the late 1860s, many people practiced a spring time tradition of visiting these cemeteries to decorate the graves of loved ones and say prayers for them. The tradition of remembering people who lost their lives in military service continued across the country.
No one knows if or where Memorial Day started specifically, but in 1966 the federal government declared Waterloo, NY as the birthplace of Memorial Day. It did not become an official US holiday with a consistent date until 1971. It always occurs on the last Monday in May, and many Americans observe the holiday by visiting cemeteries or memorials and participating in parades. It is also considered the unofficial start to summer. Cue the pool openings and cook outs!
In our town, every year riders heading for the Vietnam Memorial in D.C. stop for a visit. It’s called Run for the Wall.
I remember Memorial Day because way back in 1998, husband and I went to the theater around Memorial Day to watch Saving Private Ryan, a film about D-Day. I had to step out during the opening 30 minutes. It’s a brutal depiction of the storming of Normandy Beach, but an eloquent reminder of what people have sacrificed to keep freedom alive in our country and across the world.
Every year at 3pm local time, people pause for a moment of silence on Memorial Day. I did not know this but will start recognizing it this year.
The background on Labor Day
Labor Day also traces its roots to the late 19th century. It came about as a reaction to the Industrial Revolution. During the late 1800s, factory work replaced agricultural work, and many people worked 12 hour shifts, seven days a week, often in terrible conditions. Think poor ventilation, few breaks, and little sanitation. Even children as young as 5 or 6 worked in mills under these conditions. The poor and immigrants often had it the worst.
These poor conditions prompted the development of Labor Unions to demand better wages and working hours. Union members organized strikes and rallies to demand better treatment from employers. Sometimes things got violent, like during the Haymarket Riot and Pullman Strike in Chicago. On September 5, 1882, 10,000 employees took unpaid time off to march from City Hall to Union Square in New York City. This is considered the first Labor Day parade.
The idea of a “workingman’s holiday” caught on in industrial centers around the country and was celebrated on the first Monday of September. The federal government didn’t initially embrace this idea, but in 1894, President Grover Cleveland finally made Labor Day a legal holiday to commemorate the contributions of America’s workers.
How we can celebrate the holidays now
In a sense, both of these holidays commemorate the sacrifice and danger others endured in order to help people live better lives. This year, instead of seeing these holidays as merely a break from work or a reason to eat more burgers and banana pudding, I suggest we use the days to contemplate how we can practice a spirit of sacrifice modeled by previous generations.
Word Nerd Note: In a curious coincidence, I gave birth to my first child on a Memorial Day Monday. I gave birth to my last child on a Labor Day Monday. (Oh, yes, the Labor Day jokes still abound.)
How do you celebrate Memorial Day and Labor Day, if at all?
Thanks for getting nerdy with me!
