While many celebrate Memorial Day weekend as the unofficial first day of summer, members of the American Legion Post 1015 and the Mahomet community remember military men and women who sacrificed their lives in service to our country.
Memorial Day derived from Decoration Day, which may have originated when southern women’s groups honored fallen soldiers when they decorated their graves.
General John Logan official declared Memorial Day on May 5, 1868 before it was first observed on May 30 when flowers were laid on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. New York was the first state to recognize Memorial Day in 1973.
Most northern states observed Memorial Day while southern states honored their fallen soldiers on a different day until after World War I. When Congress passed the National Holiday Act of 1971, Memorial Day became a three-day weekend celebrated on the last Monday of May.
This year’s ceremony will be observed at Riverview Cemetary at 11 a.m. Guests are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs.
This year’s ceremony will include words from Congressman John Shimkus, then attendees are invited to meet at the American Legion Post on Main Street for ice cream.
