“Without memory, there is no culture. Without memory, there would be no civilization, no society, no future.”
— Elie Wiesel
The following essay first appeared at Food & Dining Magazine in 2021.
Today I propose to play against type, leave the food and drink until later, and consider the institution of Memorial Day in America.
After all, such a tradition must begin somewhere, and quite possibly, this one may date directly to May in 1865, when “free blacks in Charleston (SC) reburied dead Union prisoners of war and held a cemetery dedication ceremony.” A more formal starting point came shortly thereafter.
May 30, 1868: Civil War dead honored on De ......
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