The Original Spirit of Memorial Day is Under Threat

This Memorial Day reminds us what's at stake as the Trump administration tries to erase the histories of minority service members

Like many Black American families, my family's story begins in the South during slavery. Although born into a horrific system of racial oppression, my great-grandparents were able to move from Mississippi and Tennessee to Chicago during the Great Migration. Their escape to find economic opportunity means I'm a Yankee who has long shed any connection to the South. So, it wasn't until I got stationed in San Diego, California, as a young Navy sailor in the early 2000s that I saw my first Confederate Flag.

What does this have to do with Memorial Day? Like with the Civil War, Confederate sympathizers have tried to erase and rewrite the original spirit of the holiday since its inception.

The first Memorial Day holiday was on May 1, 1865, in Charleston, South Carolina. A group of freed slaves and white missionaries gathered to honor the Union soldiers buried in unmarked graves at a former planters’ racetrack. At this first Memorial Day celebration, three Union regiments of black and white soldiers marched around the graves and performed a drill. 

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This article is from Sierra, the award-winning magazine of the Sierra Club. Sierra is dedicated to stories about exploring, protecting, and living in harmony with the natural world, covering everything from climate change to book reviews and profiles of local changemakers.

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160 years later, despite their proclaimed dedication to upholding American values, the Trump administration has tried to erase the history and legacies of service members and launched attacks on veterans of color, queer, and women in particular. 

This erasure includes attacking diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts and programs within governmental agencies, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector. In March, Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the deletion of pages from the Pentagon’s website honoring a Black Medal of Honor recipient and a unit comprised of Japanese American service members. Following a backlash, the Pentagon claimed it was a mistake and uploaded the pages back on its website.

This was no mistake. Our government and political leaders need to uphold the commitment to protecting and honoring all citizens, especially veterans who gave their lives, no matter their race, creed, gender, sexuality, or ability.

When I was a 17-year-old swearing into the Armed Forces, like every service member before and after me, I took an oath that I would support and defend the Constitution – to protect our country, not a particular president, political party, or faction. I continue to uphold this oath as we fight against an administration working to maintain a system of oppression.

This Memorial Day, I invite you to read my full article in Sierra magazine and learn about everything that’s at stake as the Trump administration tries to erase the histories of minority service members.
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Acknowledging this history is crucial. But there’s a difference between understanding history and glorifying it. The Confederacy belongs to the past, a past that the original Memorial Day should have firmly laid to rest.

Instead, this Memorial Day, I ask you to join us in honoring the memory of the fallen by visiting a park, battlefield park or historic site to reflect upon the resilience of servicemembers and the impact of war on communities across the globe. If you would like to learn more about how to preserve and protect places like Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Battlefield Park, check out www.sierraclub.org/military-outdoors.

In solidarity,

Lornett Vestal
Senior Campaign Strategist
Military Outdoors Campaign

About the Author: Lornett Vestal was born and raised in Chicago, served in the United States Navy, and has traveled the world. He once defended himself in court and won the case. Lornett now lives in Atlanta with his wife and two vicious beasts named Mayor and Stella. He serves as the Sierra Club’s Military Outdoors senior campaign representative.

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