Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May, and honors American men and women who died in military service to their country. It was started to honor Union soldiers who died during the Civil War, but now includes those who died in any war or military action. Many towns hold Memorial Day parades and many people visit cemeteries and memorials.

• Memorial Day — Facts, features, poetry, quizzes and more from the InfoPlease website
• U. S. Memorial Day — David Merchant creates this site “to help promote the return of the original intent and meaning back to Memorial Day [and] to be a central point for finding information on the day.”
• Memorial Day — From the American Memory’s Today in History website
• Arlington National Cemetery — An extensive unofficial site by Michael Patterson
• National Memorial Day Concert — The PBS website has information about the concert as well as the history of Memorial Day and related subjects, including the 60th anniversary of D-Day.
• One Nation, One Moment — “The White House Commission on Remembrance is a bipartisan, independent executive branch agency whose missions include promoting the spirit of unity and remembrance through observance of The National Moment of Remembrance for one minute, 3 PM local time, Memorial Day”
• The History of Memorial Day — From the History Channel website

In Flanders Fields

• McCrae House — Learn about the Canadian physician who wrote this stirring poem.
• The Making of “In Flanders Fields” by Rob Ruggenberg — “The poem “In Flanders Fields” by the Canadian army physician John McCrae…remains to this day one of the most memorable war poems ever written. It is a lasting legacy of the terrible battle in the Ypres salient in the spring of 1915.”
• Flanders Field American Cemetery and Memorial — Learn about this memorial to those who gave their lives fighting to free Belgium

Recipes and Entertaining

• Memorial Day — Recipes and more from the AllRecipes website

Especially for Kids

• The Meaning Behind Memorial Day — From the Time for Kids website
• Memorial Day Crafts, Projects, and Printouts — Ideas for children from the Enchanted Learning website
• Memorial Day — Lesson plans and ideas from the Education World website