Memorial Day

Next Monday, May 28th, is Memorial Day. For many Americans, the three-day weekend marks the beginning of summer, and is hardly more than a day off from work or school. It's origins, however, are much more solemn. In the aftermath of the Civil War, it was seen as a day of reconciliation and remembrance.  The Library of Congress American Memory website says that:

In 1868, Commander in Chief John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic issued General Order Number 11 designating May 30 as a memorial day "for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land."
The first national celebration of the holiday took place May 30, 1868, at Arlington National Cemetery, where both Confederate and Union soldiers were buried. Originally known as Decoration Day, at the turn of the century it was designated as Memorial Day.

If you are interested in visiting historical sites that also act as memorials over the long weekend, one option here in Arkansas is Pea Ridge National Military Park, which just commemorated the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Pea Ridge.  Arkansas was an active front during the Civil War, and and according to the National Park Service website, "Pea Ridge was one of the most pivotal Civil War battles, and is the most intact Civil War battlefield in the country."

If you would prefer something a little closer to home, Mount Holly Cemetery is the final resting place for 11 Arkansas governors, 14 state Supreme Court justices, five Confederate Generals, and numerous heroes of military conflicts. For more information about the cemetery, visit the Encyclopedia of Arkansas entry. It is just south of downtown Little Rock at 1200 Broadway.

The library will be closed in observance of the holiday and will re-open at 8 AM on Tuesday.