Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States observed on the last Monday in May. It commemorates the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. In 2025, Memorial Day will be observed on Monday, May 26.
Memorial Day was first established as Decoration Day after the Civil War in 1868. It was originally observed on May 30, the anniversary of the death of Union General John A. Logan. In 1971, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which moved Memorial Day to the last Monday in May. This change was made to give federal employees a three-day weekend.