The Forgotten Origins of Memorial Day: Honoring the Role of African Americans

Memorial Day, often seen as the unofficial start to summer in the U.S., is deeply rooted in remembrance. While many associate its origins with post-Civil War commemorations led by Northern veterans, one of the earliest known Memorial Day events was actually organized by newly freed African Americans in Charleston, South Carolina.

On May 1, 1865, just weeks after the end of the Civil War, approximately 10,000 people—mostly formerly enslaved Black men, women, and children—gathered at the Washington Race Course, a former Confederate prison camp. During the war, over 260 Union soldiers had died in captivity at this site and were buried in a mass grave. In an extraordinary act of reverence, Black residents exhumed the bodies, gave them proper burials, and built a fence around the cemetery, designating it with a hand-painted sign that read: “Martyrs of the Race Course.”

What followed was a massive procession and ceremony that historians now recognize as one of the earliest Memorial Day observances. Black schoolchildren led the way, carrying flowers and singing hymns. Black ministers offered prayers. Union troops, including African American regiments, marched in solemn tribute. Families laid wreaths, shared food, and reflected on the cost of freedom.

This powerful event was not just a tribute to the Union dead—it was also a celebration of Black freedom and resilience, a public declaration that these lives mattered, and a way to honor the sacrifices that helped bring about emancipation.

Though this event faded from mainstream historical memory, it was rediscovered by historian David Blight in the 1990s, reminding the nation of the essential role African Americans played in shaping Memorial Day.

Their actions in Charleston were more than ceremonial—they were a profound act of remembrance, gratitude, and justice, showing that even in the earliest days of freedom, African Americans were already helping to shape the nation’s conscience and legacy.

As we observe Memorial Day, we are called to remember all who sacrificed—and those who first led the way in honoring them.