This year Memorial Day is on Monday, May 30, 2022. It is a federal holiday to honor American military personnel who died during military service. Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day because Americans would decorate the graves of soldiers who died in the Civil War. In 1971 it became a federal holiday and was fixed as the last Monday of May. Flags are flown at half staff until noon on that day.
In addition to being a day to honor those who died fighting for the country, Memorial Day has become the unofficial start of summer. Barbecues, parties and going to the beach mix with parades, displaying flags and visiting cemeteries.