Back in the late nineties, when I was exploring candidacy for ordination, I was active in a rural Methodist church in Montgomery County, Texas.
One of the most active, generous and outspoken members of the church was a retired brigadier general. Every Memorial Day weekend he would remind parishioners who greeted him with a “Happy Memorial Day” that Memorial Day is not a happy holiday.
I learned this early growing up in my hometown Navasota, Texas, where it was understood that Memorial Day is different from the celebratory Veterans Day and Armed Forces Day. At some point Americans lost sight of this fact.
Sadly, the current occupant of the White House had to make this solemn day all about him, complete with a happy greeting.
And I’m sure, being the student of history that he’s definitely not, he knows nothing about the roots of Memorial Day.
Most Americans don’t.*
*Memorial Day was started by former slaves on May, 1, 1865, in Charleston, SC, to honor 257 dead Union Soldiers who had been buried in a mass grave in a Confederate prison camp.
They dug up the bodies and worked for two weeks to give them a proper burial as gratitude for fighting for their freedom.
They then held a parade of 10,000 people led by 2,800 Black children where they marched, sang and celebrated.
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