One detail that even seasoned Memorial Day observers miss: at 3:00 p.m. local time, federal law asks every American to pause for one minute of silence. We wrote a full guide on the National Moment of Remembrance, including how it started and how to observe it.
Related reading: Why we place coins on military graves and what each coin means.
For the next chapter of the holiday's history, read why Memorial Day moved from May 30 to the last Monday in May and why veterans have spent decades trying to move it back.
