Memorial day is more than just having a day to barbecue and enjoy your family. It is a day to remember the people that have taken the time to protect our country. The first widely celebrated memorial day actually was May 30th, 1868. We have this holiday because of the wars and men that stood for their country and gave their lives for it. The flower poppy was worn on this day to show the sacrifice the soldiers have given their country. General John A. Logan first started it and called it “Decoration Day,” then later in 1971 the holiday was changed to Memorial day. In 1968 congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which pushed the day from the 30th to the 31st which gave the federal employees and many others a three day weekend.