Tag Archives: Decoration Day

“Strew the fair garlands where slumber the dead”

Posted on May 26, 2019 by Meg Groeling

I have always loved ephemera—those bits and pieces of printed paper, originally meant to have only short-term popularity. I particularly like old postcards from the end of the 19thcentury up through the 1920s. Commercial artists like Ellen Clapsaddle and lithographers … Continue reading →

Posted in Holidays, Material Culture, Memory | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Saving History Saturday: Memorial Day and Preservation in Their Words

Posted on May 25, 2019 by Emerging Civil War

On Decoration Day in 1871, Frederick Douglass spoke these words to a large crowd at Arlington National Cemetery:  “We must never forget that the loyal soldiers who rest beneath this sod flung themselves between the nation and the nation’s destroyers … Continue reading →

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Saving History Saturday: Honor Those Who Gave the Ultimate Sacrifice By Preserving Their Legacies

Posted on May 18, 2019 by Emerging Civil War

Next week, Americans across the country will be honoring those who gave the ultimately sacrifice in the line of duty. Some place American flags at their heroes’ graves, host a BBQ, visit a history museum, or watch a sports game. … Continue reading →

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The First Decoration Day

Posted on May 30, 2018 by Chris Kolakowski

150 years ago today was the first Decoration Day, as proclaimed by John A. Logan and the Grand Army of the Republic. Other communities had started ceremonies of remembrance, but this became the major link in the chain that created … Continue reading →

Posted in Memory, Monuments | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment