The man behind Memorial Day
Memorial Day, often seen as the unofficial start of summer, has its roots in honoring Union soldiers who died during the Civil War. John Logan, a Civil War general and political figure, played a significant role in establishing Decoration Day as a national holiday. His contributions and legacy have been re-evaluated in recent years, highlighting his advocacy for African American voting rights and his leadership in the Grand Army of the Republic.
- ▪Memorial Day originated as a commemoration of Union war dead after the Civil War.
- ▪John Logan was a key figure in creating a national movement for Decoration Day.
- ▪Logan served as a general in the Union Army and later became a prominent political figure.
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The man behind Memorial DayA John Logan appreciation post Matthew YglesiasMay 25, 2026SharePhoto by EVA HAMBACH/AFP via Getty ImagesMost of us don’t think much about Memorial Day as anything other than the unofficial beginning of summer, but the holiday originates in a commemoration of the Union war dead in the wake of the Civil War. “Decoration Day” commemorations — when communities would come together to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers — began as a somewhat grassroots movement almost immediately after the war.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Slow Boring (Yglesias).
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