1868 – First National Memorial Day Honors Black Troops

On May 30, 1868, the first national observance of Memorial Day (then called Decoration Day) honored Union soldiers who died in the Civil War, including tens of thousands of Black troops. Though often overlooked, over 180,000 African American men served in the U.S. Colored Troops and played a decisive role in Union victory. Freedmen and their families were among the earliest to honor the war dead; in fact, one of the first Memorial Day ceremonies took place in 1865 in Charleston, South Carolina, organized by formerly enslaved people. The 1868 observance expanded this tradition, placing flowers on graves in Arlington and beyond. May 30 became an annual ritual of remembrance, though Black contributions remained marginalized for generations. Today, recognizing the role of Black soldiers in shaping the nation’s freedom narrative is essential. Memorial Day’s origins are deeply rooted in African American history, and May 30 preserves that legacy.