Memorial Day Services Held At Elgin Area Cemeteries

Just as they have for generations, Elgin area residents showed Monday they have not forgotten their loved ones who have served our nation, as well as family who are no longer with us.
Memorial Day 2014 was all about words and thoughts spoken from the heart, flowers and decorations placed on graves and remembering the heroes of wars never to be forgotten.
Pastor Janet Davis of Park Congregational UCC, spoke at Park Cemetery west of Elgin. First she spoke of the history of Decoration Day. The original date, she said, was chosen as May 30, 1868 because it was believed to be that flowers would be in bloom all over the country. But, history shows that another action taken place on May 1, 1865 was equally important. It was then that former slaves in Charleston, S.C. chose to honor 257 dead Union solders who had been buried in a mass grave in a Confederate prison camp. They dug up the bodies and worked for two weeks to give them a proper burial as gratitude for fighting for their freedom. They then held a parade of 10,000 people led by 2,800 African-American children where they marched, sang and celebrated.

For the complete story, see the print edition of The Elgin Review