Decoration Day, historical predecessor of Memorial Day
The National Park Service documents the first official national Decoration Day on 30 May 1868 and its evolution into Memorial Day.
Date and recurrence
Historically 30 May beginning with the 1868 national observance; modern U.S. Memorial Day is the last Monday in May
This is retained as historical or legacy evidence. The site does not assume that the observance still recurs today.
Scope and status
The verified scope stored for this record is U.S. historical remembrance tradition for war dead. The site preserves that boundary and does not infer broader government, global or public-holiday status from the observance name alone.
Also known as
Decoration Day
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
- Refresh the target year before publishing a new date when the record is not safely portable.
- Historical Context Only.
- Remembrance Civic Context Care.
Sources
- NPS — First Official National Decoration DayGovernment
- NPS — Memorial Day historyGovernment
Frequently asked questions
When is Decoration Day, historical predecessor of Memorial Day?
Historically 30 May beginning with the 1868 national observance; modern U.S. Memorial Day is the last Monday in May The stored recurrence guidance is: Historical 30 May Decoration Day context; modern U.S. Memorial Day follows the last-Monday-in-May rule.
Does Decoration Day, historical predecessor of Memorial Day fall on the same date every year?
The record is historical/legacy and is not treated as a currently recurring annual date.
Is Decoration Day, historical predecessor of Memorial Day an official public holiday?
The authority record verifies it within this scope: U.S. historical remembrance tradition for war dead. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when the supporting authority record explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes Decoration Day, historical predecessor of Memorial Day?
The stored designation basis is: The National Park Service documents the first official national Decoration Day on 30 May 1868 and its evolution into Memorial Day.. Supporting provenance includes NPS — First Official National Decoration Day. The site does not infer a separate creator or founder unless reviewed evidence establishes one.
Is Decoration Day, historical predecessor of Memorial Day international or country-specific?
This authority record is country-scoped to United States. Its fuller verified scope is: U.S. historical remembrance tradition for war dead.
How is this page verified?
The factual layer is source-backed and keeps its date rule, scope, provenance and editorial guardrails attached to the authority record. This record was checked on 2026-09-07.