Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on May 5th of 1886 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic. During the first Memorial Day, flowers were placed on the graves of [[Union]] and [[Confederate]] soldiers at [[Arlington National Cemetery]]. Until after World War I, the South honored their dead on a different day. Memorial Day falls on the last [[Monday]] in [[May]]. | Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on May 5th of 1886 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic. During the first Memorial Day, flowers were placed on the graves of [[Union]] and [[Confederate]] soldiers at [[Arlington National Cemetery]]. Until after World War I, the South honored their dead on a different day. Memorial Day falls on the last [[Monday]] in [[May]]. |