Decoration Day In The South

Decoration Day has been celebrated for hundreds of years in the American South. Learn about the rituals and traditions of this holiday that may have inspired the modern-day observance known as Memorial Day.

Decoration day in the south. Decoration Day is the original title of the holiday we now call Memorial Day. In many ways, Decoration Day was similar to Memorial Day. But in other key ways, the original May 30th holiday was different and unique. Although Decoration Day has become Memorial Day in most of the country, Decoration Day still exists. May 10, 2013 - Explore Pamela Lee's board "The First Decoration Day", followed by 297 people on Pinterest. See more ideas about Day, Memorial day, Memorial day decorations. Decoration Day occurred in the rural South’s calendar after spring planting, but before long summer days required extensive hoeing and maintenance of the crops and livestock. Because the burial sites were “spruced up” and flowers were placed on the graves as “decorations,” the day was called Decoration Day. Decoration Day. Decorating the graves of loved-ones, soldiers, and the forgotten, has been observed for thousands of years all around the globe. In the U.S., Decoration Day refers to two things: the origins of our modern Memorial Day, and a current holiday that is mainly observed in the South. Origins of Decoration Day History of Decoration Day

Decoration Day is a Sunday in May or June when your family gathers at the cemetery where all your relatives from generations past (kinfolk) are buried. In the South most of the time your deceased family members were all placed in the same cemetery out of respect to those gone before. Decoration Day in the South. Kathy Haney Williams. As a young child in the 1950s, my first experience with genealogy was found in sweet tea, fried chicken, potato salad, deviled eggs, baked beans. The term Decoration Day gradually morphed into Memorial Day (a title which itself dated back to 1882), but the name change was only recognised in the 1960s. It was confirmed by the Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968, which moved the date from 20 May each year to the last Monday in May, confirming it as a national holiday and making a three-day. Decoration Day, ca. 1905 The exact origins of Decoration Day are unclear, although traditions of eating in cemeteries and decorating graves are found in other cultures. The tradition seems to predate Memorial Day (once known as Decoration Day) and Confederate Memorial Day, both of which have a military focus.At some point, the warm months between March and September became the preferred season.

'Decoration Day': The South Honors Its Dead In the South this time of year, rural communities gather to clean and decorate their local cemeteries. It's a tradition called "Decoration Day," and not. Over time several American towns, north and south, claimed to be the birthplace of Memorial Day. But all of them commemorate cemetery decoration events from 1866. Pride of place as the first large scale ritual of Decoration Day, therefore, goes to African Americans in Charleston. Decoration Days in Southern Appalachia and Liberia are a living tradition of group ancestor veneration observances which arose by the 19th century. While Decoration practices are localized and can be unique to individual families, cemeteries, and communities, common elements unify the various Decoration Day practices and are thought to represent syncretism of Christian cultures in 19th century. Memorial Day (previously, but now seldom, called Decoration Day) is a federal holiday in the United States for honoring and mourning the military personnel who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. The holiday is now observed on the last Monday of May, having been observed on May 30 from 1868 to 1970.. Many people visit cemeteries and memorials on Memorial Day to honor and.

In the South Confederate Memorial Day took shape on three different dates: on April 26 in many deep South states, the anniversary of General Joseph Johnston’s final surrender to General William T. Sherman; on May 10 in South and North Carolina, the birthday of Stonewall Jackson; and on June 3 in Virginia, the birthday of Jefferson Davis. Head to the Deep South or to a black church and mention of Decoration Day will often draw a blank stare. The tradition is very much white, and it gained prominence during the Civil War when most African-Americans were slaves and few, if any, had the means to fund a church, let alone a graveyard. Related Posts. Dinner on the Ground Dinner on the Ground in the Upland South from Appalachia to the Ozarks, is an outdoor picnic held at Decoration Day events. The term originally referred to eating in a churchyard or […] Horace Kephart In 1934, the United States Congress officially established what is today the most popular National Park in the country, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Over time several American towns, north and south, claimed to be the birthplace of Memorial Day. But all of them commemorate cemetery decoration events from 1866. Pride of place as the first large scale ritual of Decoration Day, therefore, goes to African Americans in Charleston.