The first Decoration Day occurred on May 1, 1865, in Charleston, SC, when newly freed blacks exhumed the bodies of Union soldiers who were buried in a mass grave at a Confederate prison. The African Americans honored these soldiers' sacrifice by providing them with individually decorated graves. The burials included hymn singing, prayers, and thanksgiving. Ten thousand people, many of them children, attended a festive parade that followed the burial ceremony.

For some, use of the term Decoration Day provides an opportunity for education about the origin of the holiday. It highlights the importance of decorating the grave of a patriot who made the ultimate sacrifice, whether or not this person is known, as a sign of thanks.

Union soldiers sacrificed their lives fighting against enslavement and were honored by the newly emancipated. The ongoing fight for freedom requires Americans working together and honoring each other's dignity, in life and in death.
Send us a message explaining why you believe reclaiming Decoration Day as a cultural holiday is important.
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