Originally known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day began after the Civil War, officially becoming a federal holiday in 1971 to honor those who died in military service.
General Logan designated May 30, 1868, as a day to decorate the graves of fallen comrades, leading to the tradition we now know as Memorial Day.
The first Decoration Day in 1868 gathered 5,000 Americans at Arlington National Cemetery to honor the 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried there.
After World War I, Memorial Day evolved to commemorate all American military personnel who died, transcending its origins in the Civil War.
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