The roots of Memorial Day go deeper than acknowledged
Patricia Wilson
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Americans have long believed that the first observance of Memorial Day, (first known as Decoration Day) was held under the leadership of former Union Gen. John A. Logan on May 30, 1868, and from that date until the end of World War I, it honored only the Civil War dead.
Dr. David W. Blight, professor of history at Yale University and recipient of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in history, is known for his exhaustive research in the field of the Civil War and Reconstruction as well as African American history. His 2001 book, “Race and Reunion,“ shed new light on the origin of Memorial Day in America.