When is Memorial Day 2024? Everything you need to know about the holiday

Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez and Olivia Munson, Louisville Courier Journal
Updated ·2 min read

Summer is coming: Get your shades, grab a drink and head to the pool this Memorial Day.

While many people associate Memorial Day with fun in the sun and a day off work, the holiday, originally called "Decoration Day," has a rich history dating back to 1860s. It commemorates those who died while serving in the U.S. military.

In Louisville, the bi-annual Mayor's Hike, Bike & Paddle, which encourages residents to exercise in their communities, usually takes place on Memorial Day and Labor Day, but the event will not take place for Memorial Day weekend in 2024.

Opinion: Canceling Memorial Day Hike, Bike and Paddle is a shocking move by Mayor Greenberg

Here is what to know about Memorial Day:

When is Memorial Day?

Memorial Day, which always falls on the last Monday of May, is on May 27 in 2024.

Is Memorial Day a federal holiday?

Yes. It is one of 11 federal holidays in the United States.

Why do we celebrate Memorial Day?

While Memorial Day's origins are unclear, observances to honor those who serve in the U.S. Armed Forces began after the Civil War, which ended in 1865. In the years following, Americans paid tribute to soldiers by decorating their graves and saying prayers, according to the History Channel.

In 1868, Gen. John Logan sent out an official order designating May 30 as a day of remembrance for those who died serving in the Civil War, according to usmemorialday.org. On the first Decoration Day, 20,000 graves at Arlington National Cemetery were decorated.

New York was the first state to recognize Decoration Day as an official holiday in 1873, but by 1890, all Union states acknowledged it. The Southern states, however, chose to honor those who died in the Civil War on separate days, according to the History Channel.

The practice continued until after World War I, when Memorial Day's focus shifted to honor American soldiers who died in any war, not only the Civil War, the History Channel reports.

For many years, Memorial Day was celebrated on May 30 until the Uniform Monday Holiday Act was enacted in 1971. The act moved the holiday's date to the last Monday in May. It also established President's Day on the third Monday in February and Columbus Day on the second Monday in October, according to the American Presidency Project.

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This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: When is Memorial Day? What to know about it, where it comes from?