Every Memorial Day, families and communities across the nation take time to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation. Americans observe this special holiday in many different ways. Here are a few of those traditions:
Visiting Gravesites -- Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day because it was a time to honor the nation's dead by decorating their graves with flowers.
Family and American History -- Memorial Day is a favorite time for Americans to read their family history, look at old photographs and learn about their ancestors, especially those who died in the line of battle. It's also an occasion for reading Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and other historic and patriotic speeches by Presidents and leaders of the armed services.
Displaying the Flag -- On Memorial Day, the U.S. flag should be displayed at half-staff until noon. In the morning, the flag should be raised momentarily to the top, then lowered to half staff.
National Moment of Remembrance -- In accordance with a congressional resolution passed in 2000, Americans pause wherever they are at 3 pm local time for a moment of silence to remember and honor the fallen.
Memorial Day Poppies -- The tradition of red poppies on Memorial Day was inspired by the 1915 poem "In Flanders Fields", by John McCrea. Seeing the poem and its colorful illustration in a magazine, Georgia teacher and volunteer war worker Moina Michael made a personal pledge to always wear red silk poppies as an emblem for "keeping the faith with all who died." She also began a campaign to make the poppy a universal symbol of tribute and support for veterans. Through her efforts, the idea was adopted in the united States and spread to England, France, Australia and more than 50 other countries.
PBS Concert & Eulogy at the Capitol -- Sunday, May 30
