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 originally known as Decoration Day. It was first observed in 1868, three years after the end of the Civil War. The day was set aside to decorate the graves of soldiers who had died in the war. Over time, Decoration Day became known as Memorial Day, and it was expanded to include all soldiers who had died in service to the United States.