With all the parties and barbeques this weekend it's sometimes easy to lose sight of the true meaning of Memorial Day.  Although certainly you know that Memorial Day honors those who have lost their lives serving in the U.S. Military, you may be unaware of the origins behind this day of remembrance.

One of the first Memorial Day celebrations in the U.S. was by newly freed enslaved men, women, and children on Mat 1, 1865, in Charleston, South Carolina. Not long after the Civil War ended, freed enslaved peoples, members of the U.S. Colored Troops, and some locals organized a ceremony to bury Union troops who died due to horrendous conditions of a prison created at what was once a racetrack, History.com reports. They honored the dead by singing hymns and placing flowers on their graves. 

In 1950, Congress passed a resolution requesting the president issue a proclamation calling on Americans to observe Memorial Day as a day of prayer for permanent peace.

In 1968,  Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May, in order to create a three-day weekend for federal employees, but Memorial Day didn't actually become an official federal holiday until 1971.

President Bill Clinton signed the National Moment of Remembrance Act in 2000, which asks Americans to pause and observe a National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m. local time.  A number of organizations throughout the country observe this moment.

While Memorial Day has generated community traditions, it has also generated traditions for how the government observes the day, too. The flag should be flown at half-staff from sunrise until noon, according to Gettysburg Flag, to honor men and women who have fallen in the line of duty. At noon, the flag should be briskly raised to full staff to salute all of those who have served.

One special tradition is that the President places a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

PLEASE, whatever plans you have for this holiday, make sure you take at least a few minutes to remember and honor those who have paid the uiltimate sacrifice so that you can enjoy those plans.