The last Monday in May is designated as Memorial Day. This federal holiday will be observed on Monday, May 25, 2026. It is a day to honor American military personnel who died during military service. The holiday 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.
While Memorial Day has become the unofficial start of summer, with barbecues, parties, beach and pool openings, here are some of the ways to mark the purpose of Memorial Day: Fly the US flag at half-staff until noon on that day. Observe a moment of silence at 3 pm local time. Attend a parade or tour a war memorial, either in person or virtually [Video narrated by Tom Hanks].