05/25/2026
Today, we honor those who have lost their lives during their service to this country. And we recognize the need to learn the true history behind Memorial Day.
Most people know Memorial Day as the as the day we celebrate the men and women who died serving our country, but many don’t know Black Americans played a major role in creating the tradition. 🇺🇸✊🏾
Historians say one of the earliest Memorial Day ceremonies happened on May 1, 1865, in Charleston, South Carolina, just weeks after the Civil War ended. Newly freed Black Americans reportedly gathered to honor more than 250 Union soldiers who died in a Confederate prison camp and were buried in a mass grave.
According to historical accounts, freed Black residents reburied the soldiers properly, decorated their graves with flowers, and led a massive parade with thousands of people, including Black Union troops and schoolchildren. Some historians now recognize the event as one of the first Memorial Day commemorations in U.S. history.
So while many celebrate Memorial Day with cookouts and vacations, the holiday’s roots are also deeply tied to Black history, remembrance, freedom and honoring those who sacrificed their lives. 🇺🇸
Did you know this history before today? 👀