Letter to the Editor: Memorial Day about reconciliation, honor

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day.

It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings. Every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the dead in the 1860s tapped into the general need to honor our dead. Each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in the first official proclamation in 1868. This movement was fueled by the Civil War...