Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May each year. This scheduling ensures the holiday is always part of a three-day weekend, often referred to as Memorial Day weekend.
The date was officially established by the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, a federal law enacted in 1968 that took effect in 1971. Before this legislation, the holiday, which originated as Decoration Day after the Civil War, was traditionally observed on a fixed date: May 30. The purpose of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act was to shift the observance of several federal holidays to designated Mondays. This change was intended to create more three-day weekends for the nation's workers and was believed to stimulate travel and commerce.
Consequently, the specific calendar date for Memorial Day changes annually, falling between May 25 and May 31. For instance, in 2024, the holiday was on May 27, while in 2025, it will be on May 26. This floating date is a direct result of federal legislation designed to regularize the holiday calendar for administrative and commercial purposes, rather than being tied to a specific historical anniversary.
