The first Memorial Day - originally called Decoration Day - was organized on May 1, 1865, in Charleston, South Carolina, by formerly enslaved African Americans and Union troops.
They held a parade and properly buried Union soldiers who had died as prisoners of war at a former Confederate racetrack.While several cities and localized events have claimed to be the "birthplace" of the holiday, the historical record points to competing milestones. The early history of the holiday is defined by these key events:
May 1, 1865 (Charleston, SC): Rediscovered in Harvard archives, newly freed Black Americans held a massive tribute to Union soldiers at a former low-country planter racetrack that had been used as a Confederate prison. The event featured 10,000 participants, including 3,000 Black schoolchildren carrying flowers, followed by picnics and speeches.
May 5, 1866 (Waterloo, NY): Waterloo, New York, is recognized by Congress as the official birthplace of the holiday. On this day, the town closed its businesses and residents flew flags at half-staff to decorate the graves of fallen veterans.
May 30, 1868 (Arlington National Cemetery): The first official national observance was established by General John A. Logan, leader of the Grand Army of the Republic (a veterans' organization). Participants decorated the graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers, a tradition solidified by a speech from Congressman James A. Garfield.
Memorial Day was later established as an official federal holiday, and in 1968, Congress moved its observance to the last Monday in May.
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