Sacrifice, Memory & Gratitude

 

Vintage Memorial Day Postcard Circa Early 1900s

Memorial day is one of those holidays that should unite all U.S. citizens. And for the most part it succeeds. Who can argue with the necessity to show gratitude and appreciation for those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving their democratic society and its values.

And while we can all take part in remembering with thankfulness those who have lost their lives and served selflessly, there are segments of the citizenry who express that appreciation with their unique perspective, traditions or interests.

What has gotten little report over the years is the role played by freed African American slaves in the establishment of Memorial Day in the mid to late 1860s. 

"Black pastors delivered sermons and led attendees in prayer and in the singing of spirituals, and there were picnics. James Redpath, the white director of freedman’s education in the region, organized about 30 speeches by Union officers, missionaries and black ministers. Participants sang patriotic songs like “America” and “We’ll Rally around the Flag” and “The Star-Spangled Banner.” In the afternoon, three white and black Union regiments marched around the graves and staged a drill." [1]

And as the ranks of service men and women since that earliest Memorial Day commemoration have been drawn from every walk of life, it is reasonable to expect that the holiday would be one of the most inclusive and rightly so.

So Happy Memorial Day everyone. It belongs to all of us.